


The Tooth Fairy

by fortheficjihoon_99



Series: The Tooth Fairy Saga [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Crimes & Criminals, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Psychological Trauma, Stockholm Syndrome, Suicidal Thoughts, Torture, but its like only one scene so dont read this if thats all youre looking for, okay but seriously graphic torture, please don't ignore that tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-06-01 14:39:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 91,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15145337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortheficjihoon_99/pseuds/fortheficjihoon_99
Summary: Upon his first encounter with the serial killer that was known as the Tooth Fairy, Jeon Wonwoo finds his once normal life spiralling down into a chaotic and unstable reality that he can’t escape from.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost of my fic of the same name, originally posted on AFF. So please don't report me. Also, I wrote this like two years ago so please don't judge how bad it's written lmao

His knuckles were white with strain due to the death grip he had on the bar overhead. He couldn’t let go. His life depended on it.

Mumbling a soft and low apology when he was suddenly sent careening into the schoolgirl bedside him, he tightened his grip on the bar to avoid a repeat. He was embarrassed, and the blush on the young girl’s face showed she was feeling the same. It was hardly their fault though, people were crammed into the overcrowded tube carriage like a claustrophobic’s worst nightmare. It was hot and there was barely any room to move, as if all their limbs had been bound by duct tape. The only relief they received was at each stop when the doors would slide open, allowing fresher air to stroll in, but of course they also let in more people so the relief was bittersweet. Wonwoo spared a glance at his watch wrapped snugly around his outstretched wrist. It was simple watch: plain black leather strap with a silver buckle and a small clock face. He sighed, realising that he wouldn’t be able to go to his favourite coffee shop or he’d risk being late –he remembered the time- er than he already was. Without his daily dose of coffee today was going to be long.

Clutching his briefcase tightly to his chest, he squeezed his way through the squirming mass of business people and school kids who, like him, were desperate to get off and get to work. He had to catch himself as he stumbled out of the carriage. His grey suit was wrinkled, his black hair stuck up at odd angles and his face was flushed, he looked as if he’d just run a marathon as he walked away from the platform to start his ten minute walk to his office building.

 

The building where Wonwoo worked was located in the business hub of Seoul. Standing at an impressive 122 stories high, the glass building was a tall and imposing structure, looming over its workers as if it were laughing at their boring and mundane lives. In stark contrast to the outside, the interior was actually full of bright reds and blues. The CEO was young and wanted his workers to have a happy working environment. Jeon Wonwoo was lucky. Not only had he managed to get a good paying job straight out of university, but had somehow ended up with a boss that cared for his employees. That didn’t make the daily routine any less tedious though.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Junhui greeted as he glided over to Wonwoo’s booth. He was obviously taking the piss as the younger had burst in no less than a minute ago looking very dishevelled.

“Fuck you.” His voice was muffled by his hands which he’d buried his head in the moment he sat down.    

“Ooooo,” Soonyoung’s mop of blonde hair popped up from behind the divider. His face bore his trademark bright smile as he teased, “such colourful language from his favourite employee. Mr. Hong won’t like this.”

Too tired to think of a comeback right now, Wonwoo’s dark eyes glared at Soonyoung from between his fingers as his friend walked off, happy that he’d won this round. Wonwoo seriously wondered how Soonyoung always had time to bother him when he was the CEO’s personal assistant. Either Mr. Hong wasn’t as busy as everyone thought he was or Soonyoung just got away with doing nothing. It was probably the latter. Hong Jisoo was known for his kindness. As well as being a gentleman, he was young and handsome, one of the most eligible bachelors in Korea. An idol in the business world. He’d been featured on the cover of GQ Korea three times, which just goes to show his popularity.

“Here.” 

Wonwoo looked from the cup that had been placed next to his head to the smiling Chinese man. 

“I figured you wouldn’t have enough time to get coffee this morning, so I picked up one for you too."

This was why Wonwoo was best friends with Wen Junhui. The elder knew him like the back of his own hand and it was times like this when Wonwoo couldn’t be more thankful for their six year long friendship. It was Junhui who had recommended him for his job at Hong and Co. Junhui had done an apprenticeship there during university and had been guaranteed a job when he left, but like a guardian angel, he was always looking out for Wonwoo and had negotiated one for him too. That was three years ago, and not much had changed since then except from Junhui cutting his shoulder length hair and the addition of Kwon Soonyoung to their friendship group.

The corners of Wonwoo’s lips turned up in a small smile of gratitude as Junhui rolled back to his desk and he took a sip form the beverage, preparing himself for a day of work.

 

 

“Honey, I’m home.” Wonwoo called out as he shut the front door to his apartment, removing his shoes and jacket as he did so. His apartment wasn’t big but it wasn’t small either. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open kitchen and living room. Plus the rent was affordable.

“Welcome home, babe.” His roommate joked back as Wonwoo fell down onto the sofa beside him, exhausted. Who knew typing at a desk all day could be so tiring? “Tired?” he asked, receiving a nod and pout from the young businessman. “Ain’t it a good thing I finished class early and have already prepared dinner.”

Wonwoo cracked one eye open to peer at the man next to him. “Really, Seungcheol? An actual home cooked meal?”

“Do I look like Gordon Ramsay? I ordered pizza.”

The younger rolled his eyes and hit the laughing elder with a couch cushion before getting up to go and change out of his suit.

He was glad Seungcheol had been the one who answered his ad for a roommate; despite being older, the raven head was truly a child at heart and was easy to get along with. Wonwoo was surprised to find out that the elder was still a student. He had tried the whole office job thing, but was unable to give up his dream to go into the music industry, so had quit and re-enrolled in university to study music. In that aspect, Wonwoo was envious of him; he got to study for and live out his dream whilst Wonwoo was stuck behind a desk, doing the same thing day in and day out. He had really liked music when he was younger but quickly gave up when he was faced with the reality of needing a stable and reliable career path. Growing up fairly poor had taught him that sacrifices needed to be made in the name of living sustainably.

Did he regret not following his dreams?

It was something Wonwoo often considered when he woke up in the morning, travelled to work in an over-packed tube carriage, found himself buried in paper work relying on coffee and Junhui to keep him going. When he’d do a featuring on one of Seungcheol’s assignments and have the elder excitedly relay back the teacher’s compliments on his anonymous friend’s skills or simply when he was lying in bed at night dreading the next day.

Did he regret trading in his dreams to become one of Seoul’s many business ants, working with no real sense of purpose?

Maybe.

But it was a routine he’d grown accustomed to and had come to appreciate the normalcy in it all.


	2. Chapter 2

Wonwoo groaned as he was woken up by the loud and jarring blaring of his alarm clock. No. It was too early. He hadn’t had a chance to rescue the princess yet. The covers were so warm and comforting it was as if they were purposefully wrapping themselves around Wonwoo to draw him further into the soft mattress so he couldn’t leave. But he had to. He had a job. A life.

With another groan, Wonwoo managed to lift his protesting limbs out of the sheets and sitting on the edge of the bed, he ran a hand through his messy bed hair whilst releasing a loud yawn. There were never enough hours in the day for sleep. Pushing his feet into his fluffy white slippers (a gift curtesy of Soonyoung), and at a snail’s pace, he shuffled out of his bedroom and into the bathroom opposite leaving behind a final protesting creak from his bed.

“Seungcheol, you’re up already?” Wonwoo was taken aback to find Seungcheol sat on the floor between the sofa and T.V surrounded by music sheets. He knew that the elder only had an afternoon class today and liked to sleep in when that was the case.

“Up? Did I even go to sleep?” he let out a dry chuckle. “Why didn’t you remind me that the composition for Bumzu’s class was due today? I’ve been up all night finishing it.”

Now that he’d mentioned it, Wonwoo could see the tell-tale bags, bloodshot eyes and the scattering of coffee mugs that screamed ‘I just pulled an all-nighter’. “It’s not my job to remember your homework schedule.” Wonwoo laughed at his roommate. It was his own fault for leaving it until the last minute.

“Right. Right. Mr. Wonwoo working man with an actual job.” He rolled his eyes. “Go and provide for me.” Seungcheol shooed him out of the house, picking up his bag and throwing it at the younger before closing the door behind him with a resounding click. Wonwoo stood bewildered by Seungcheol’s high strung behaviour. He probably just wants me out so he can focus. Yeah, that was it. With a shrug he set off for work.

 

As he exited the tube station, Wonwoo was delighted to find that he still had 30 minutes before he was due at work. That meant that he could go to Jasmine and still have time to spare. "Great" he thought, his stomach rumbled its agreement as he suddenly realised that Seungcheol had sent him out the house before he could eat breakfast. Buying some food too wouldn’t hurt. He’d won the war against time that morning so would spend what he earned as he pleased. Sure Seungcheol had helped somewhat but….

He allowed the thought to trail off as he pushed the door open and the light tinkle of a bell sounded.

Amongst the aroma of coffee and pastries, Jasmine always smelt just like its namesake, jasmine. But it was never overwhelming in the small café, sandwiched between a newsagents and a laundry shop. In fact, that was what Wonwoo loved about it; with its wooden furnishing, white fairy lights and potted leaf plants, Jasmine had an intimately cosy charm that ensured no matter what happened before, after coming he always left with a smile on his face.

“Hyung!” Wonwoo was greeted by the bright and cheerful voice as soon as he stepped foot inside the café.

“Hey Chan.” Wonwoo smiled back as he made his way over to the counter. Lee Chan has been working as a barrister at Jasmine café for the past year and a half to help him fund his university tuition. He was a dance major, and despite his talent had only managed to secure a half scholarship, but he wasn’t disheartened, he just found himself a job and worked even harder. Wonwoo admired Chan for that; Even though he was younger than him, Wonwoo thought that the bright boy was much more mature than him as he never would have guessed that the boy who handed him his coffee every morning with a pleasant smile like he had not a care in the world was such a tenacious worker. Now Chan was a close younger whom he saw as a little brother.

“You didn’t come yesterday.” The boy pouted. “So I was sad.”

Wonwoo chuckled at his cute expression. “I’m sorry.” He apologised, ruffling the younger’s short black hair. “I overslept. I probably would have been late today too if it wasn’t for Seungcheol throwing me out the house. You should thank him when you see him at uni later.” Wonwoo admitted sheepishly. “Actually, I think I might buy him something to eat. He stayed up all night to finish a project and I know he’ll forget to feed himself. Will you take it to him at the end of your shift?”

“Of course.” Chan beamed. “You’re so thoughtful. Now what do you want, the usual?”

“Yes and a sandwich too, please.” Wonwoo reached into his bag to get his wallet out so he could pay for everything. As he did so he couldn’t help but think that today felt like it would be a good day. He was in such a good mood right now that nothing could ruin it.

“Hyung!” Chan’s sudden and loud greeting caused Wonwoo’s head to flick up to the open doorway with his hands one cm away from his items and heaved a deep sigh. He could now consider his perfect morning over.

“Chan!” Soonyoung returned the enthusiastic welcome as pushed Wonwoo to the side to hug his adorable friend. Soonyoung sometimes taught dance workshops at Chan’s university on weekends. Apparently it had a very high turnout; Wonwoo had to listen to both Chan and Soonyoung gush/brag about how popular it was whilst Wonwoo just wondered how Soonyoung found the time since he was supposed to be the personal assistant to the CEO meaning he had to be on hand 24/7. It just further proved his theory that Soonyoung practically got away with murder.

“I am here too, you know.” Wonwoo grumbled as the dance loving duo were engaged in a conversation full of jargon he didn’t understand. Even though he had no clue what they’re saying he’d still like to be included.

“Oh sorry Wonwoo, I didn’t see you there.” The blonde sounded surprised to see his colleague and friend beside him. What bullshit! There’s no way Soonyoung didn’t see him on his way in, the front of the café was all glass. Not to mention the fact that he pushed him to get to Chan.

Wonwoo glared at the blonde who bore that same shit-eating grin he always wore when he was teasing the charcoal haired man. Grinding his teeth together, he rudely pushed the blonde away and swiped his coffee and sandwich from the counter before stomping out the shop. Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered Chan saying goodbye as he exited and sighed at himself in disappointment for leaving without doing the same.

Why did he always let Soonyoung’s teasing get to him?

He knew that the blonde was just playing and that he looked very stupid and immature for leaving in a huff like a 5 year old who didn’t get the joke. 90% of their friendship was built on his annoying yet infectious personality; no matter how irritating you found his loudness or inability to work hard on anything that wasn’t dance, all he’d have to do is smile and all sins were forgiven.

“Aish.” Wonwoo hissed to himself, shaking his head in frustration. He had overreacted. He had overreacted massively and now he felt like a dick. Mentally debating with himself about whether to go back and apologise or not, he almost didn’t hear the faint call of his name.

“Wonwoo. Wonwoo, please wait.”  He stopped and spied his friend’s mess of blonde hair travelling towards him as he weaved in and out of the mass of people going about their day. When he reached Wonwoo, he leant on the former as he took in large gulps of breath as if he had been oxygen starved for a week. “You walk really fast.” He panted.

“Aren’t dancers supposed to be fit?” Wonwoo chuckled as he looked at the red faced boy.

Soonyoung glared at him through his bangs before playfully shoving the other.

“Yah!” Wonwoo yelled as he steadied himself, making sure that his cup stayed upright. “If my coffee spills I will murder you Kwon Soonyoung.” He threatened, his small eyes narrowing even further.

“Ooooo I’m so scared.” The blonde rolled his eyes, before breaking out into one of his grins. Wonwoo smiled back, glad that they were okay. Soonyoung was used to his temperament anyways. As the pair were walking to work together Soonyoung said, “I don’t think Mr. Hong would like it very much if you killed me. You may be his favourite employee but I’m his assistant and I’d like to think he’d be somewhat upset if anything happened to me.”

“But you don’t do anything besides talk.”

“I do too do stuff.” The elder pouted at Wonwoo’s (very truthful) comment. “I get his laundry, take notes in his meetings, I even get him coffee every morning. He’s an addict like you.”

Wonwoo tried to look hurt about the addict comment but he couldn’t because it was true. What can he say, he loved the bitter liquid. “Where is it?” he asked as they entered the building, scanning their I.D’s at the gate before advancing to the elevators.

“Where’s what?” Soonyoung replied just as the chrome silver doors shut.

“Mr. Hong, the coffee addict’s, coffee.” There was a hint of smugness within his deep voice.

Soonyoung looked at his empty hands. Shit. He had forgotten to buy one before he started conversing with Chan. He shrugged, “he’ll just have to go without.” Wonwoo clucked his tongue in disapproval, it was a wonder how Soonyoung hadn’t been fired yet.

 

 

Wonwoo moved his head side to side to stretch his neck, a soft sigh leaving his lips before he refocused on the screen and continued typing away. He heard the instantly recognisable sound of plastic wheels against laminated flooring before he saw Junhui appear out of the corner of his eye as he rolled over to his desk. The Chinese man stayed silent for a little while as he watched Wonwoo work but eventually he asked, “Are you almost finished?”

The charcoal head pressed one final key before spinning in his chair to face his best friend. “I’m done, what’s up?”

“Lets go get lunch.” Junhui beamed, springing out of his seat. Grabbing Wonwoo’s hand, he dragged him out of their department floor and to the elevators despite the younger’s protests about not being able to get his wallet. “It’s okay.” He reassured. “Lunch is on me.”

The pair found themselves at a quaint little BBQ place about a block away from the office. As it wasn’t too far and was never extremely busy despite the great food, they went there often. They even called the lady who ran the place auntie. Placing their usual order, they settled into their seats by the window as Junhui liked to watch the people go by. Junhui had always been a people person; he got along easily with others, with people being drawn to his kindness and natural charm. He was the exact opposite of Wonwoo who struggled socially and generally just preferred to be left alone. But he was grateful that Junhui latched on to him from the first day and refused to let go, despite Wonwoo’s attempts to shake him off. He was distracted from his reminiscing when he heard the brunette let out a disgruntled sound from across the table.

“What?” he asked curiously, it was rare to see the always-positive man frown.

“This.” He gestured at the bold headline on the newspaper he’d picked up on their way. “This Tooth Fairy killer is still on the loose and it says the police still have no idea who it is. Whoever they are, they’ve been doing this for longer than I’ve been here. Did you know that my mother almost didn’t let me move here because she was worried about my safety? That was five years ago. It’s scary that they still haven’t been caught, don’t you think?”

The Tooth Fairy, named as so by the media for the fact that all their victims were found without teeth, was a serial killer who had been terrorizing Seoul for the past eight years, killing guys in an ever increasingly violent fashion. No one knew who they were or what their motives were. Where they would strike next or who.   

Of course it was scary. Any person in their right mind would feel terrified knowing that a crazed killer was roaming their city but Wonwoo would rather not think about that right now. There was little room in his life for missing teeth and gruesome murders, so with a smile he kindly soothed Junhui’s worries and convinced him to enjoy his lunch which he had no problem reminding him that he had to pay for. As soon as Junhui returned his smile he knew he had done his duty as a best friend.

 

“Yah, where have you two been?” Soonyoung chided as soon as they stepped onto their department floor. It was like he had been waiting for them to come back like a dog waiting for its owner to return home.

“We went to lunch.” Junhui answered, coolly walking past the blonde who stood there with a kicked expression on his face.

“Without me?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Wonwoo pat him on the shoulder as he too walked past him to get to his desk.

“Guys, that’s not fair.” He continued to whine, leaning over the divider. “I haven’t even eaten yet ‘cause I spent my whole lunch break looking for you, Wonwoo. Joshua wants to see you.”

“You could of just called me.” Wonwoo deadpanned. Soonyoung seriously hadn’t thought of that.

“Forget that,” Junhui interjected, “why does Mr. Hong want to see you?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged.

“You must be in trouble.” Junhui sang, a teasing smile on his face.

“No, I’m sure it’s a booty call.” Soonyoung insisted. “I’ve come to the conclusion that you must be sleeping with him. It’s the only reason I can come up with for why he favours you over me.”

“It’s a stupid reason.” Wonwoo grumbled as Soonyoung dodged the stapler he threw at his head with a laugh. He should really consider getting some new friends.

The black haired business man, who seriously had no idea why Mr. Hong wanted to see him, became filled with nerves as he tried to deduce why he had been summoned to Joshua’s office. Perhaps he knew that Wonwoo was the indirect cause for him not getting his morning coffee, and being a coffee lover –not addict- himself, he knew what that could do to a person, even one as compassionate as he. Maybe you’re just overthinking things, Wonwoo convinced himself as he arrived on the top floor. The only offices up there were the CEO’s and his assistant’s and seeing as he left Soonyoung downstairs complaining to Junhui about them leaving him, the floor was deserted , except from a janitor’s cart outside Joshua’s door.

Wonwoo came up to the door and after taking a deep and calming breath, tentatively knocked on the hard wood whilst calling out, “Mr. Hong, Mr. Kwon said you wanted to see me.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read with caution, it's about to get messy

“Mr. Hong, Mr. Kwon said you wanted to see me.” Wonwoo said, his voice wavered from nervousness, but was still loud enough to be heard through the thick doors. Receiving a muffled sound in reply, Wonwoo slid open one of the doors and slipped in through the gap.

Joshua Hong’s office was extensive and smartly furnished with a couple sofas and chairs for relaxing meetings to one side of the room. His office was no exception to the bright colour scheme that ran throughout his corporation, he always said that happy colours made for happy workers. The walls were decorated with pictures of himself and his employees, all wearing genuine smiles. Everyone loved Joshua. It was impossible not to. Directly opposite the doors stood his desk, carved from a sturdy old oak tree. It was almost out of place in the otherwise very modern looking office, but it was his grandfather’s, passed down throughout the Hong lineage. With the support of his ancestors and Seoul’s expansive skyline behind him, Joshua Hong ran his company with a radiant smile on his handsome face.  

Wonwoo let out an almost silent squeak when the door shut with a loud slam behind him. The blinds were down, hiding the natural midday light from the room, darkness lurked in the furthest corners of the large room. Wonwoo thought that was strange. He knew that Joshua liked to keep them open and only ever shut them if he was presenting. Oh. Maybe that’s why he was there. He wasn’t in trouble, Joshua just wanted to have a meeting. What about? Wonwoo didn’t know.

“Erm…Mr. Hong? Wonwoo was sure that the man was in here. Despite the fact that his chair was turned away from him, he could see the other’s brown hair over the top. He received no reply. “Joshua?” he tried again. Taking a few steps forwards, he couldn’t help the sense of dread that built within him, with every step it was like a needle pricked his alabaster skin, his body on high alert. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t normal. As he drew closer to the desk -he was now about half way across the room- he could hear muffled whimpers. Oh my gosh, was Joshua sick? Had he hurt himself? Wonwoo wondered. “Josh, are you okay?”

The whimpers became louder. More urgent. Panicked. A warning. That Wonwoo should have heeded.

Slowly, the comfortable black office chair turned towards Wonwoo and he came face to face with his boss. Joshua’s head shook, flicking his sweat soaked hair that had clumped together in thick strands and stuck to his forehead. Salty sweat dripped from the tips and ran down into his eyes, stinging them and staining the whites red. The liquid brown pools of his irises had disappeared into a black hole of terror. The sweat running down his face mixed with the bright blood pouring from his mouth, the pink concoction saturating his white shirt that had stuck to his body with the gluey sweat.

What the fuck! What the fuck! What the fuck!

Wonwoo was frozen. It was like his feet had melted and bonded with the floor, rendering him immobile. His eyes, that had grown twice their size, were deceiving him. They must be. There was no other way to explain what he was seeing. His boss, his **friend** , tied to a chair with thin black rope with a bloodied mouth. Why? Why would someone do this? And to Joshua Hong of all people. He was a literal angel who never wronged anyone.

  _I should help him_. Wonwoo thought, and his face must have displayed this thought too as Joshua suddenly lost it. The chair rocked as he frantically shook his head and pulled against his restraints. A garbled sound, that sounded as if he was drowning, escaped his throat. _No._ That’s what he was trying to say. _NO! Don’t come closer!_

Wonwoo’s body was screaming. The dread that had been pricking him before was now slicing at huge chunks of skin. _Run_. He needed to run and get help, but his body still wouldn’t comply. The door. His eyes, which had darted towards it, were drawn back to his boss who was moving backwards in his chair.

From the gap between Joshua and the desk, a black shape emerged slowly until it stood at its full height a couple inches taller than Wonwoo. It was too dark to see clearly but it was obviously a person. A person which had just turned to face him. Shivers ran down his body as if he had been dunked in an ice bath.

That dread.

That power that had been controlling him since he’d entered. It was emanating from this guy. Who was he to hold such power?

He waved, head cocked to the side. He was observing the intruder, studying him. Wonwoo could feel his eyes on him to the point where it might of well of been his hands violating him. He felt naked under his gaze.

Blink. In what felt like a blink of an eye, the tall stranger had crossed the large gap between the two and was looming over the business man. Wonwoo could now see the other clearly. His skin, which like Joshua’s was also covered in a sheen of sweat, was tanned. His hair a light shade of brown. The bottom half of his face was obscured by a mask but Wonwoo could tell that he was young, his age perhaps? He wondered how strong he was. The navy blue janitors suit the other wore gave nothing away. Every muscle in his body was screaming at him to get away. Danger. This man before him was dangerous. Wonwoo was scared for his life, wanting nothing more in that moment than to grab Joshua and hightail it out of there, but the man was staring down at him with large mischievous black eyes that had a hold on him, locking his muscles in place. He was stuck. And the stranger was well aware of that. Wonwoo’s breath hitched as the man moved closer so that they were nose to nose. Smiling. Wonwoo could see the movement beneath the mask. The other’s cheekbones had pushed up too. Was he enjoying this? Did he find some kind of pleasure, **amusement** , in the fact that he had reduced Wonwoo to stone? With a final flirty wink, he walked past the statue and switched on the lights from beside the doors. Wonwoo flinched as the room suddenly flooded with light.

The taller began to whistle a jaunty tune as he stuck his gloved hands in his pockets and casually strolled over to Joshua who had gone rigid in fear. He bent to pick up something from a box next to the desk. A metal trigger spray bottle. He held it up with a flourish. _Watch this._

Squirt. He spritzed the content onto the desk, a wisp of smoke rising from the surface as the liquid eroded it away. Acid. The bottle was full of acid. Acid that was strong enough to corrode wood that had survived generations. Wonwoo’s mouth fell open as he realised the latter’s intentions. He wouldn’t. No matter how sick this person was he wouldn’t, **couldn’t** , do something like that. His small eyes shot up to the psycho’s, the latter’s narrowing with playfulness as he placed a long index finger to his lips as if his plan was a secret shared between the two. Never releasing the raven head’s gaze so he could watch the other’s reaction, the ‘janitor’ raised the bottle so the nozzle was facing Joshua. The threat was clear now. ‘Make a sound and I’ll spray him’. Wonwoo’s head twitched an okay and the janitor smiled. It’s not like he could scream anyways; his throat was dry and itchy from his protests fighting to get out.

Wonwoo’s attention was drawn by a loud anguished cry. Like a fan at a concert he had been so focused on the performer that he didn’t notice when they guy had slyly sprayed the front of his boss’ shirt.

Joshua’s face contorted in pain as the acid easily burned through the thin material and attacked the flesh on his chest. His eyes screwed shut as his head hit the tall backrest of his office chair and his fingers gripped the arms. It felt like someone was shaving his flesh with a grater. Never in his life had he felt pain like this. Involuntarily, water had begun to pour from his eyes. No matter how much he fought to hold them in and stay strong in front of Wonwoo, the agony he felt was just that immense. That strangled gargling sound escaped once more as he tried to speak. Swallowing the mixture of blood and saliva, he tried again. “Mease sla”. It came out as nonsensical gibberish, much to the amusement of his tormentor who silently shook with laughter as he clapped his hands in delight and then cupped one behind his ear as if to say ‘I can’t hear you’. Joshua’s head fell back down as the pain finally subsided to a dull ache. Shooting a glare at his torturer, the CEO rose a restrained middle finger and mouthed ‘fuck you’.

The tall brunette enjoyed that response. He almost fell off the desk from laughing so hard. His laugh was almost child-like with the amount of innocence it contained. _False innocence_. Walking up to Wonwoo, he leant on one of his shoulders, which caused the former to still, and whispered, “Can you believe this guy? I thought he was supposed to be some kind of gentleman.” Chills washed down Wonwoo’s spine like a wave as he felt the taller’s warm breath ghost over his ear. His voice was deep, not as deep as Wonwoo’s, but deep all the same. “I wonder how he’ll react if I used my extreme dirt be gone to clean one of his employees”. He said, a little louder this time to ensure that his plaything had heard. And by the loud cries of protest and repetitive thuds of the chair hitting the ground, he had. Smirking in triumph, the brunette left the business man to stand above the CEO who continued to scream profanities at him. Shaking his head in disappointment, he leaned over the desk with both hands planted firmly on the wood, his eyes narrowed dangerously and the air in the room stilled. It was no longer a game, a show. It was time to stop playing now.

“It’s a wonder you can still speak without any teeth. And you’re saying such filth on top of it. I had high hopes that you’d stay true to your good boy image until the very end, I would have even bet money on it. Such a disappointment.” He complained, his voice deeper than earlier, before punching Joshua square in the face, the latter’s head recoiling back with the force of the impact. It was strong enough to askew Joshua’s nose as blood ran from it like a river.

 _Without any teeth._ The extract swam around Wonwoo’s head as he was washed back to his earlier conversation with Junhui. Shit. Oh my god. His breathing picked up as his heart hammered against his ribcage. Everything had fallen into place. A tear escaped his eye. He was fucked. So fucked. There was no way he’d make it out alive. There were never any witnesses. Only victims. The Tooth Fairy only left horribly disfigured victims.

_The Tooth Fairy._

Almost as if he had heard Wonwoo’s revelation, he looked back at him and winked.

What happened next was so fast that Wonwoo could only remember in flashes.

The Tooth Fairy uncapping the bottle.

Panic in Joshua’s eyes.

Howls of agony.

His body trying to rise off of the chair he was tied to.

Back bent in an impossible position.

Melting.

Chunks of flesh dissolving.

His boss, his **friend** , no longer recognisable.

Burning.

The smell of his burning face crept up Wonwoo’s nostrils and managed to somehow wake his brain because the next thing he knew, he was out the door and in the elevator, coincidentally running straight into Soonyoung.   

“Yo Wonwoo, I was wondering what was taking so long.”

Wonwoo couldn’t even register the other’s presence as he repeatedly pummelled the button to the ground floor, not stopping until the doors were safely shut and the elevator thrummed with movement. Only then, when he’d left those horrors above him, did the fear, terror and sorrow hit him like a truck. He was so weak. Physically and emotionally. Collapsing into Soonyoung’s arms, his face was a mess of tears and snot as he wailed. Soonyoung was very concerned by his friend’s behaviour.

“What’s wrong? Did Joshua fire you or something?”

  _Joshua._

The final image Wonwoo had of him filled his head, and just like that he threw up all over the blonde’s suit, the latter gently rubbing his back until he’d stopped heaving. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he looked up at the disgusted and shocked blonde and whimpered, “Call the police.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only realised whilst editing this that it got rid of italics and bold words.. so please forgive the lack of them in the previous two chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

Wonwoo’s hand trembled as he took a sip from the bottle of water he’d been handed earlier.  After telling Soonyoung to call the police, he had managed to convey to the blonde that everyone was in danger and the building had been evacuated, leaving him and the assistant alone on the vacant ground floor of the company.

“Are you Jeon Wonwoo?” Wonwoo looked up at the sound of his name and gave a weak nod in reply. The man who had called him was dressed in a simple black blazer with a plain white tee beneath it. His long red hair was tied in a low ponytail leaving the pale column of his neck exposed. With features as beautiful as his: almond shaped brown eyes, a sharp nose and petite pink lips, Wonwoo felt like a lowly peasant compared to the god above him. “I’m Detective Yoon, I’m in charge of the homicide task force. I understand that you’re the only witness?” Again, Wonwoo replied with a nod, taking the detective’s proffered hand to help him off the floor so they were finally eye-eye. “Shall we sit somewhere more comfortable?” Without waiting for a reply, Yoon spun on the heels of his black vans and walked over to a cushioned seating area with the dishevelled businessman following behind.

“First of all, I’m very sorry for your loss.” The beautiful detective offered a sympathetic smile that Wonwoo attempted to mirror but it ended up being more of a grimace. “And I know that the last thing you want to do right now is re-live it but I do need to ask you some questions. Just a couple for now and I can get back to you at a later date, would that be alright?”

Detective Yoon was right. Having to remember those horrible things he had seen less than an hour ago was a space trip away from what he wanted to do right now. But Yoon spoke with a voice that was very fitting of his angelic face, that wrapped a blanket of calm around Wonwoo like a loving and protective mother and Wonwoo felt safe in its warmth.

“It’s alright.” Wonwoo rasped and then took a long gulp from his bottle to lubricate his throat, still sore from the dry heaving he’d done earlier.

“Okay,” Yoon smiled softly, “We’ll start off simple. Can you tell me your name, age, history and occupation?”

“My name is Jeon Wonwoo. I am 27 years’ old, I went to St. Mary’s elementary school and I’m a business opeartions manager for Hong and co."

“Good. Good.” Yoon encouraged. “Now, could you tell me about what happened? Whatever you can remember. It doesn’t matter, just tell me everything.”

“I went into his office and it was dark. Very dark. All the lights were off and the blinds were shut which was weird because Joshua doesn’t like the dark. He was tied to his chair a-and c-covered in blood.” Wonwoo had started stuttering and fiddling with his fingers in his lap, a nervous habit. A form of distraction from the images flashing in his mind. Never staying longer than a fraction of a second but graphic enough to still send shivers of terror down his back.

Sensing his growing anxiety, Yoon covered his twitching hands with his own, stilling the nervous action and drawing the attention of the business man. “You’re doing really well, okay. What do you remember about who did this?”

“Tall. He was tall, had light brown hair and wore a janitor’s uniform but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before. He wore a mask so I can’t tell you anything else.”

“That’s okay. You’ve done really-”

“Jeonghan!” A boy with rounded cheeks and reddish-brown hair the colour of brick scurried over to them. Upon seeing the scowl on his boss’s face he corrected, “Detective Yoon.”

“This is Boo Seungkwan, my assistant.” The long haired man introduced for Wonwoo’s sake. “What do you want?” Wonwoo was surprised to hear the irritation laced within Jeonghan’s voice. It was different to the one he’d been using with Wonwoo and the younger wondered if it somehow made the detective seem less sincere, less trustworthy.

“Err...” Seungkwan fumbled, suddenly embarrassed by his earlier behaviour. “That guy over there wants to know how much longer you’ll be.”

The seated pair looked where the young assistant was pointing, to where the blonde, who had changed out of his vomit stained suit into the spare dance clothes he carried in his car, was standing.

“We’re done for now. Thank you for everything you’ve told me Jeon Wonwoo.”

“I just wish I could tell you more but everything’s so fuzzy.” Wonwoo’s voice broke as he began to cry again. He just felt so helpless. So useless. Why had Joshua died instead of him? The former had done so much for Wonwoo and he couldn’t even contribute to the investigation. Frustrating. Somehow he had ended up in Soonyoung’s arms, soaking his top with his tears.

“If it’s alright with you Detective, I’ll be taking him home now.”

Boo and Yoon accompanied them to the glass front of the building. Through the clear glass the crowd of employees, emergency staff and news reporters could be seen, all peering in curiously. Wonwoo felt like an animal in a zoo. Trapped. With no idea about what was going on. Even though Soonyoung was shielding him with his own body and Yoon and Boo were blocking the view from the front, he still felt extremely exposed. Like everyone was scrutinising him.

_Is that the guy?_

_Why did he survive instead of Mr. Hong?_

_He doesn’t deserve to live._

_I wonder if he killed him._

Wonwoo could see them whisper between each other. There was no doubt in his mind that that was what they must have been saying. He stopped walking. Soonyoung peered down at him. Concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

“I remember something,” he whispered to himself and then tugged on Jeonghan’s blazer to get his attention. “I remember something.” He repeated with more conviction this time. “Teeth. He took Joshua’s teeth.”

The change in atmosphere was apparent even to those on the other side of the glass as the three men looked to Wonwoo with wide eyes.

No teeth.

Everyone in Korea knew what that meant.

“Are you claiming what I think you’re claiming?” Detective Yoon’s voice was strained as he asked cautiously as if he wasn’t fully believing of what the other had said. As if to say the name itself would be jumping the gun.

Wonwoo nodded. “It was the Tooth Fairy.”

The two coppers inhaled sharply, even Soonyoung tightened his grip around Wonwoo.

“Do you know what that means?” Yoon started.

“You’re the only survivor. Ever.” Boo finished.

A commotion on the other side of the glass drew their attention before Wonwoo could comment and before the investigators could see what was going on, a man in a suit had burst through the doors.

“Wonwoo!”

“Junhui.” Wonwoo ran into the arms of his best friend, crying for the nth time that afternoon. “Junhui I’m going to die!”

“What!” the Chinese man looked down at him in shock before looking to the others to see if there was truth to Wonwoo’s words. “Why?”

“The killer was the Tooth Fairy.” Soonyoung explained.

“Excuse me, you can’t just reveal information about the case like that.” Jeonghan chastised.

“But he doesn’t leave survivors. Doesn’t that mean that he could be out there waiting to kill Wonwoo.” Junhui speculated. “Shouldn’t you be doing more to keep him safe. You were just gonna walk him out the front of the building…what the fuck.” He scolded as he unconsciously tightened his hold on the frightened man in a protective manner.

“You’re right,” Jeonghan admitted, the detective looked down. He was not used to being told what to do and by a civilian no less. Jeonghan prided himself in being the best of the best but he was just about to make a rookie mistake.

At that, Jeonghan took his phone out and walked away from the small group. From that distance they couldn’t hear what the red head was saying as he spoke in hushed whispers, but they watched on curiously. Jeonghan ended the call with a sharp ‘and make it quick’ before returning to the others. He explained that he had arranged for a police car to take the three to the station. It looked like Wonwoo wouldn’t be going home for now.

 

 

Wonwoo had barely stepped a foot through his front door when he was enveloped in the tight embrace of Choi Seungcheol. It was a long lasting hug that said more than words in that moment.

“I was worried. I was so so worried. I saw a news report whilst I was at a lecture and immediately rushed out. When they said someone at Hong and co. had been killed…I was so scared it was you. But you’re safe now.” Seungcheol muttered into Wonwoo’s hair as the taller had buried his face in the crook of the elder’s neck, like a child seeking comfort from their parent.

“But Joshua isn’t.” he mumbled against Seungcheol’s neck.

“Don’t think about it. Have you eaten yet?” feeling the younger shake his head, Seungcheol detached the boy and instructed him to go and sit down.

“Wait a second,” Wonwoo suddenly called out, opening the door again, he revealed another young man who Seungcheol didn’t know. “This is Kang Dong Ho, my police protection officer.” Wonwoo introduced. Seungcheol offered the elder some food or at least a drink but he politely declined, preferring to do his duty and guard their apartment.

Wonwoo took a seat on the couch as Seungcheol busied himself in the kitchen, returning a couple minutes later with a steaming bowl of ramyeon and an apology about his sucky cooking skills that forced a small smile from Wonwoo. The elder didn’t ask Wonwoo questions as he ate the ramyeon, which in his current state, tasted like a gourmet dish. Instead, he just sat quietly beside him, silently extending his support whilst a cartoon played on the T.V in the background. When he had finished Seungcheol cleared his plates and re-joined him on the couch, with Wonwoo immediately curling into a ball and resting his head on Seungcheol’s lap, the elder calmly running his fingers through his hair. Wonwoo had never been more appreciative of Seungcheol. It was 1am, with him only having been allowed home after the three of them had made a full and detailed statement and security had been arranged for him, and the business man was exhausted. He was both physically and emotionally drained, having reached a point of absolute numbness. Numb to the murder, numb to the friend he’d lost and numb to life in general. But Seungcheol was here. And he was stroking his head. And Lemongrab was screaming. And Wonwoo wanted so much to jump off a roof. Or put his tie to good use. But Soonyoung was probably sat in a dance studio. And crying. And blaming himself. And Wonwoo wanted to drive off a bridge. Or put his razor to good use. But Junhui was home alone. And worrying about him. And trying to resist the urge to drive over here. And Wonwoo wanted to take a deep bath. Or put their gas cooker to good use. But there was Chan, and Soonyoung, and Junhui and most importantly Seungcheol, who was stroking his hair and cared. They all cared. So he ignored his current wants in favour of watching Adventure Time with his friend.

 

 

 

Wonwoo woke up on the couch beneath a fluffy blanket. He’d had a surprisingly dreamless sleep which he was somewhat thankful for. He figured that his mind was overworked to the point where it drew a blank or maybe it was so haunted by the events that even it didn’t want to relive them in terrifying sequence.

“You’re up?” Seungcheol queried from the kitchen when he heard Wonwoo release a loud yawn.

Wonwoo nodded, although the action couldn’t be seen by the elder. “No uni today?” his sleep laden voice asked back.

“I’m not going.”

Wonwoo should have expected that. Of course Seungcheol wouldn’t leave him alone in this state. Plus, there was the fact that he was in mourning too, when people said that Joshua Hong knew everyone they meant _everyone._ Through being part of Wonwoo’s friendship circle, the two had met several times, bonding over their love for American music.

Wonwoo decided to take a shower. Although his pants and socks had been removed ( _thank you Seungcheol_ ), he felt gross still being in his sweat soaked shirt from yesterday, in fact, Wonwoo wouldn’t oppose to burning everything he’d worn the previous day along with his memories if he could.

The charcoal haired man shuffled into the bathroom after grabbing his towel and fresh underwear from his room. As he turned on the light on, he caught sight of his appearance in the bathroom mirror above the white porcelain sink. Despite not suffering any night-terrors last night (or should he say this morning) his face looked sleep deprived. His eyes were swollen and red as were his blotchy cheeks which were caked in dried tears, yet his face looked sticky and wet. His black hair was wild and unkempt, sticking up in all directions. He looked, in his opinion, dead. Sighing to himself, he pulled his gaze from the mirror to wash his face and brush his teeth. Once that was done, he peeled off the stale clothes and entered the shower. The water was icy cold, with Wonwoo hoping that it might shock his system into feeling again. He rested his head against the cool tiles of the walls as the stream continued to splatter down his back.

 _How did you end up here?_ He wondered. _How did this come to be?_ He berated himself. _You wanted change, something exciting, a change from your ritualistic routine. Looks like God answered your prayers._ A bitter chuckle left his chapped lips. They always say that God worked in mysterious ways. If this was the outcome of divine intervention then Wonwoo rather he stayed in the sky of people’s imagination; perched atop a cloud of people’s beliefs, prayers and praise, watching the life of his followers take its course. Or perhaps Wonwoo had been too quick to judge. To point the finger of blame. He had been the one who asked for it. Furthermore, who said it was God. The more he looked at it, the more it looked a divine creature of a different nature had been the cause for this suffering.   

Exhaling deeply, he opened his eyes and reached for the shower gel. Once he’d washed the suds out his hair, he leant his head out of the stream so he could wash his body but…

“FUCK!” he screamed, leaping back so far his back hit the opposite wall with a dull thud that knocked the wind from him. Such a reaction had been caused by the blood that was pouring from the shower head as if it were an open wound and circled the drain in a whirlpool of crimson before falling in the pipe. A knock grabbed his attention from the red liquid.

“Wonwoo, is everything okay?” Seungcheol’s concerned voice filtered through the wooden door.

Wonwoo’s heart leapt in his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. “I-I’m fine,” he stuttered. But was he? The water had returned to its original colour. Had it even changed to start with? Wonwoo quickly wrapped a towel around his hips and practically ran out.

 

 

As he’d expected, Soonyoung and Junhui came to visit the next day. Both of them had been worried about Wonwoo’s condition but he promptly reminded them that they should think about themselves first. They had been just as close to Joshua.

The three friends were at a loss on what to do. As a result, they just sat on the sofa, staring blankly into space.

Seungcheol came in five minutes later and sighed deeply at the scene before him. Usually when they all got together Wonwoo often scolded them for being too loud, but the room was silent and that was heart-breaking.

“Guys,” the three barely managed to look at Seungcheol, “I know we’re all grieving right now and that’s okay it’s okay to be sad when a close friend is taken too soon, but this isn’t the way. Just sitting around and doing nothing. If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re angry, be angry. If you want to cry, cry. Just don’t bottle it up. We’re all here for each other, we each know what the other is going through. So let your emotions out and then be happy. Joshua would want us to be happy.”

The room fell into silence once again as they digested the words of the eldest.

Junhui choked as he struggled to contain his tears but it was too much and the Chinese man promptly descended into a mess of tears and snot with Soonyoung falling in behind him. The four friends cried together for a good half-hour. They cried tears of grief, frustration and anger to the point where their bodies couldn’t take it anymore and they fell asleep.

Dong Ho left his post for a few minutes to get them some food which they happily scoffed down. With it already being so late at night, Soonyoung and Junhui stayed over.

 

 

 

_Wonwoo’s head shot up as a bucket of water was thrown over him, the cold liquid soaking his clothes and chilling him to the bone. He was disorientated. And everything was dark. There was a sharp ringing in his ears and Wonwoo knew that he’d been hit over the head to get him there._

_There._

_Where even was ‘there’?_

_By the looks of it, it was some kind of warehouse. Through his dizzy vision he could make out planks of wood strewn across the floor or propped up against a wall because of the moonlight that filtered in from the broken skylights up above although it barely lit up the expansive area as if it was afraid to be there._

_“Oh, good. You’re awake.” A deep voice that Wonwoo instantly recognised said from somewhere beyond his sight._

_Panic immediately set in. No. Not again. A person can only go through so much. The businessman struggled in the wooden chair he was tied to, the legs scraped against the floor as he rocked to and fro trying with all his might to be free. The rope that bound his wrist chaffed against his delicate skin, leaving angry red welts and even breaking skin at some places. It stung but that wasn’t important in that moment. What was important was getting as far away from this psychopath as possible._

_This greatly amused his kidnapper. The other’s deep chuckle being what caused Wonwoo to still his frantic movements._

_Finally, he came into the frame. He looked the same: tall, tanned and young with a masked face that hid an amused smirk beneath it._

_He’d been caught._

_How? He wondered._

_What of Seungcheol and Dong Ho? Had they been killed. As we all know the Tooth Fairy didn’t like to leave witnesses. Tears unknowingly leaked from Wonwoo’s eyes as he considered the fates of his friends. He could only hope that it had been quick and hadn’t been drawn out like Joshua’s was, like his would undoubtedly be._

_“What’s wrong?” the murderer tauntingly sang, “Worried about your friends? Don’t be. I made it quick. My business is with you, not them.”_

_Wonwoo screamed. Not that that would do him any good. There were no warehouses like this in Seoul so he must be out in the middle of nowhere and he was gagged with whatever dirty cloth had been stuffed in his mouth, but the natural reaction when faced with terror was to scream. So he did._

_“Funny that you’re screaming right now,” the Tooth Fairy mused and Wonwoo’s sobs slowed to sniffles and eventually stopped to look at him. What the fuck was he talking about? Was this one of his sick ways of toying with him again? “You didn’t scream when I was in your position.” Upon seeing the confused look on his victim’s face, the Tooth Fairy removed his mask._

_But it wasn’t the Tooth Fairy._

_Beneath the mask was a face Wonwoo recognised despite the heavy scaring, despite the fact that most of the features had been melted off leaving behind a grotesque mess of raw flesh and bare bones yet somehow his liquid brown eyes had been unaffected._

_His muffled voice whispered, “Joshua?”_

_The flesh pulled into what Wonwoo could only assume was meant to be a smirk but with no lips everything was a smirk. “You didn’t scream when I was in the chair Wonwoo. You didn’t scream when that monster pointed the nozzle at my face. You did it to save your own ass; he said don’t make a sound and you obeyed like a coward.”_

_No._

_No, it can’t be._

_Wonwoo’s head shook side to side as if he were trying to shake his eyes out of their sockets. His face was now drowning in sweat and tears and the saliva that leaked from his bound mouth. It can’t be Joshua. Joshua is dead. He’d practically seen it with his own eyes and there was no way he’d ever get those pained screams out of his ears._

_“Perhaps if you’d screamed, HELP WOULD HAVE COME AND I WOULDN’T BE DEAD!” Joshua accused. He was yelling in Wonwoo’s face. Repeating it over and over as the younger sobbed quietly to himself._

_“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”_

_Because he was sorry. And wrong because Joshua was right. So very right. And he didn’t deserve Joshua. Didn’t deserve to mourn him or call himself his friend. Because Joshua was right there and he had done nothing._

_“I’m sorry. So sorry.”_

 

Wonwoo woke with a start. His top was soaked with perspiration and clung to his body. His face was also wet, but whether it was sweat or tears he wasn’t sure. He released a long and shaky breath as he stared up at the ceiling. It had obviously been a nightmare, but it’d felt so real. He could still hear Joshua’s shouts of accusation ringing in his ears and see his image behind his closed eyelids. It made him afraid. Afraid to go back to sleep, to even blink.

So he tried his best not to, but eventually his body gave up. Luckily for him, it was a dreamless sleep.

 

Soonyoung and Junhui went home the next morning, both promising to come back soon to check up on them.

All throughout the day Wonwoo battled with the thought of telling Seungcheol about the nightmare. The elder had told him that if anything was wrong he should tell him and having bad dreams and bloody hallucinations seemed like something he should share but from fear of not wanting to burden the elder who was also grieving, he didn’t.

 

 

According to Junhui ‘soon’ means that very evening. The Chinese man arrived in fresh casual clothes with his usual bright smile. Holding up plastic bags he announced that he’d brought dinner to the cheers from the three other guys who had neglected to eat the whole day. Seungcheol ran to get plates whilst the others began to lay the food out.

“This is for you.” Junhui handed a confused Wonwoo a cardboard box with delicious smells emanating from within. “They’re from Chan, he sends his condolences.”

Wonwoo was touched by the kind gesture from his younger and made a mental note to call and thank him later.

Like the previous night, Junhui stayed over. Shyly, he had revealed his backpack full of clothes and his intentions to stay for the rest of the week under the guise of being there for Wonwoo but the latter knew that behind the smile his best friend was really just scared. And so was he, but if dotting on Wonwoo was the best way for him to cope, then the former wasn’t going to stop him. Besides, he loved the company of his best friend.

 

 

Junhui almost knocked the bowl of crisps out of Wonwoo’s hand as he laughed at _Adventure Time_. Another reason for Wonwoo to love Junhui; he loved cartoons just as much as he did. It was a Thursday afternoon and the pair were on the sofa watching T.V whilst Seungcheol worked on a composition in his room.

There was a knock at the door and Junhui went to answer it. Dong Ho had been relieved from his post on account of there being no suspicious activity around Wonwoo and Jeonghan deeming him safe for now. On the other side of the door stood a handsome boy in a plaid t-shirt and loose fitting ripped jeans. His hair was a light brown and lay haphazardly atop his head as if he had just woken up.

“Hello Junhui.” He respectfully bowed.

The chinese man returned the gesture, “Hey Hansol, long time no see.” Junhui stepped to the side to invite the boy in and locked and double bolted the door before re-joining Wonwoo on the sofa as he greeted their guest.

“What brings you here?” Wonwoo asked.

“I’ve come to give Seungcheol the notes he’s missed,” he said.

“Wow,” Junhui gushed. “You’re such a good friend.”

Hansol smiled as he tried to hide his blush at the compliment.

“Erm… Cheolie hyung told me the reason why he’s been missing class,” he started nervously, “I’m sorry to hear about Joshua.”

Junhui’s smile was less bright when he replied with an ‘it’s okay’.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking this but… is it true that one of the employees witnessed the whole thing. It’s just that I have this whole blog about the Tooth Fairy and as a side hobby I’ve dedicated my time to catching this guy. It is a guy, right? Wait, you wouldn’t know that. Well, I’m sure it’s a guy” Hansol rattled on, missing the tense look shared between the two elders on the couch.

“Is that you, Hansol?” Seungcheol voice was heard as he emerged from his room.

The younger seemingly forgot about educating the two on his blog as he gave the eldest a small hug. “I brought my notes for you.”

Seungcheol smiled. Ruffling the boy’s hair, he thanked him and took the written notes from him. “I could hear your voice from my room. What were you prattling on about?”

“Huh? Oh. I was just telling them about my Tooth Fairy blog and was wondering if they perhaps knew the employee who saw it.”

At this, Seungcheol visibly tensed as he looked over the youngest’s shoulder to gage the reaction of the charcoal haired guy on the couch. Surprisingly, Hansol picked up on the silent conversations going on around him this time. And put two and two together. “Do you guys know who it was? Could you introduce me to them, I’d love to ask them some questions?”

Wonwoo gnawed at his bottom lip as Seungcheol explained, “It was Wonwoo.”

The boy’s mouth fell open as he looked from Cheol to Wonwoo to try and work out whether they were lying or not. “Seriously, because that makes it a lot easier to ask you questions…” seeing the small glare Seungcheol gave him he hastily continued, “but of course not now. You’re grieving and hurting and I’m going to go now.” With a final bow and ‘sorry for your loss’ the boy exited the apartment.

 

 

It had been just over a week since Joshua’s departure and the day Wonwoo had dreaded the most was here. He glanced at his appearance in the mirror and adjusted the tie with a sigh. Entering the living room he found that Seungcheol and Junhui were ready and waiting, dressed in black formal attire and solemn faces. The three of them met Soonyoung and Chan downstairs and the five of them took a cab to their destination.

As expected, there were many people in attendance. Joshua Hong was a very popular guy. Employees, family and friends from both Korea and America as well as business associates from all over the world came. Reluctantly, in Wonwoo’s case, the five of them were pushed to sit up front with the family due to the fact that they were Joshua’s closet friends. Wonwoo felt uncomfortable and undeserving of the label. What kind of friend abandons the other and leaves them to their death?

The service was beautiful. Soonyoung and Mrs. Hong had planned it meticulously to be perfectly fitting for the young CEO. At some point Chan had begun to cry and an equally as distraught Soonyoung muffled the boy’s cries in his chest. Tears flowed silently from Wonwoo’s eyes as he reached out for Junhui’s hand, who gave it a comforting squeeze as the pair cried silently together. Seungcheol had taken it upon himself to remain strong for all of them but even he couldn’t hold back the few tears that escaped.

A wake was held in the hall beside the church. There was food, drink and music and it offered the mourning guests a chance to pay their respects to each other. All throughout the event Wonwoo had to deal with people offering their condolences and sympathy at what he had seen (as somehow the news that it was him had travelled around the gathering). _As if they truly understand how I must be feeling_. He had just said goodbye to a blonde American stranger when, “Wonwoo dear”, there was a tap on his shoulder.

Turning around, his back immediately folded into a bow as he greeted Mr. and Mrs. Hong, automatically offering his condolences.

“There’s no need for that Wonwoo,” Mr. Hong waved a dismissive hand, “It’s your loss too.”

At a loss of what to do, Wonwoo just smiled softly and nodded his head in acceptance of the statement.

“Have you been eating well, you look kind of pale?” Mrs. Hong asked worriedly.

“I should be asking you that.” Wonwoo whined to keep up the light hearted atmosphere. Of course he wasn’t going to tell her that whilst he may have been eating well, it wasn’t necessarily staying with him. How do you tell them that you throw up every night because the image of their deceased son still haunts you? How do you look them in the eye as they treat you like their own son knowing that you did nothing to help theirs? The answer was you didn’t. at least not without wanting the ground to swallow you into the depths of hell where you belong. Burning for eternity would be a better sensation than the guilt Wonwoo was currently feeling. He felt like a wolf in sheep’s clothing amongst the mourners. An actor playing the part of a grieving friend when truly he was the murderer.

Warmth. Wonwoo was surrounded by warmth when Mrs. Hong wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in tight as if she were afraid he would melt away in her arms. His face nestled against her shawl covered chest, with the heels she wore she was a couple inches taller than him.

“It’s not your fault, Wonwoo” she said. It was as if she could hear his thoughts or maybe he had said them aloud without realising. “There was nothing you could have done for him. The coroner told us that he would have drowned on the blood he’d already swallowed before you’d even got there. There was nothing you could have done darling, so please don’t blame yourself,” Mrs. Hong disclosed as she gently caressed the sobbing younger’s hair. “The last thing Jisoo would want is one of his closest friends to bear the burden of his death.”

He knew that.

Wonwoo knew that, but that didn’t make it any easier.


	5. Chapter 5

It had been two weeks since Wonwoo had last been to Hong & Co. One-week mandatory leave had been given to all the workers with some opting to take an extra week off.

He had strongly refused Junhui’s offer to accompany him to work today and he was now starting to regret it. Getting the subway had been fine, going to Jasmine and getting breakfast was child’s play, so why was he finding it so hard to enter the building and sit at his desk as he did every day? He wanted to run away. To turn around, go back home and curl up on the couch with a thick blanket and have a cartoon marathon. But he couldn’t. He was an adult and he’d had a break but now it was time to adult again. Taking a slow breath to steel his nerves, a determined Wonwoo finally entered his work place.

And instantly wanted to walk back out.

There was an uncomfortable atmosphere about the place. He felt as though Hong & Co.’s happy go lucky workers had been replaced by soulless robots. The bright colours that decorated the building might as well have been drab greys, blacks and white to match the gloomy state everyone was in. There were no cheerful morning greetings, the lobby was quiet except for the low murmur of business talk, and _only_ business talk. There were no personal conversations. No one asking how the wife and kids were. No one had the energy for it. The ride up the lift was no different. Wonwoo tapped his foot impatiently as he grew more anxious about going back to work. It felt like it was his first day, he was that nervous. The doors opened and Wonwoo could instantly feel the change in atmosphere. It was as if the whole office had stopped what they were doing to stare at him as he entered. Even as he speed-walked to his desk with his head ducked down and promptly rested his head on the table, he could feel their eyes watch his every movement.

What were they waiting for? Were they expecting him to break down or something? Wonwoo’s head shot up and he delivered a sharp glare to anyone unlucky enough to catch his eyes. The glare said ‘What? What are you looking at?’ and it seemed to work as everyone quickly returned to their jobs, but not without sneaking glances at him. They really weren't as discreet as they thought they were.

“Morning, sunshine” Junhui beamed as he lay his head on his palm resting on Wonwoo’s desk.

Wonwoo regarded his best friend with suspicious eyes. Out of everyone here he’d expected Junhui to treat him with the most caution but he was acting normal towards him and for some reason that was worrying.

“What do you want?” Wonwoo grumbled, earning a loud chuckle from Junhui before he cupped his own face, twinkling his fingers he replied, “I want to be your morning sunshine.” Once again Wonwoo regarded his friend but this time it was with an annoyed expression. He’d jinxed it. And it was too early in the morning for this shit.

 

Wherever Wonwoo went silence and awkwardness followed him. Not by choice. It was more like whenever his co-workers saw him they rapidly stopped talking and stared unashamedly, offering a sympathetic smile when Wonwoo stared back. Whether it was genuine or out of guilt for getting caught, Wonwoo didn’t know and didn’t care. A brave few even attempted to converse with him. _Are you okay_ , was the most common question. And whilst Wonwoo was touched by their display of concern it quickly became grating. What were they expecting him to say?

_I’m suffering. Dying internally. Like a deep-sea fish I’m surrounded by darkness and need the light of those around me to guide me out but I’m afraid of pulling them down too. I sometimes cry myself to sleep. Oh, by the way, how is your search for a new car going?_

If they were expecting a conversation that extended beyond pleasant niceties they were going to be sorely disappointed.

 

 

It wasn’t until Wednesday (somehow he’d managed to last two and a half days) when Wonwoo finally snapped.

“STOP IT!” He’d yelled at Park Sooyoung, one of his colleague’s young and pretty assistant, when she asked him if he was okay with a sad smile. She had taken a step back at the loudness of his voice. Her eyes were wide with fright as her lips quivered, struggling to find the words to respond as a deep flush covered her face. He felt bad. Especially since everyone was looking at them. Due to his outburst, all the attention was now focused solely on them. He felt bad. That he did. But it was too late to take it back. Now that he had the mic he might as well get everything off his chest.

“Stop it! All of you, please just _stop it_. Stop with the ‘are you okays’ and the how are you doings’. Stop with the sympathetic smiles and the staring. Oh god! The staring in silence is the worst. Do you think I can’t see you? That I can’t _feel_ your eyes on me? I’m not stupid. I know that you’re all whispering about me. Shutting up every time I walk into the room is worse than if you continued talking. ‘Are you okay?’” Wonwoo scoffed. “Are _you_ okay? Your angelic boss died so are you okay? No? Then why the hell would I be! Of course I’m not okay, would you be okay if you saw your friend die before your eyes? Of course not! But does my landlord care if I’m grieving? Does the bank? Like you, I need to earn money and I’d appreciate it if I could do that in an environment where I don’t feel like the school punching bag being gossiped about by the entire student body.”

It was silent, with the ticking of the clock the only sound being heard. Wonwoo wouldn’t be surprised if the entire building had heard him. He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and knew instantly that it was Junhui. He sighed deeply, and as the breath left his body as did all the pent up frustration that had accumulated. Like a burst balloon, he now felt deflated and defeated.

“I’m not feeling well, I think I’ll go home early,” he muttered tiredly.

Junhui nodded his head in understanding before helping his best friend collect his stuff and walking him to the building entrance.

 

 

 

Seungkwan scurried after Jeonghan as the detective speed-walked through the busy building, effortlessly flittering between people as they rushed to the meeting Yoon had called for. The long haired man was muttering to himself as he strode along, attracting sympathetic glances from the people who passed him. Handling a case such as the one he was in charge of will no doubt take a toll on your psyche.

When Jeonghan entered he was met with a chorus of ‘Good afternoon, sir’. Replying with a quick nod of his head, he took his position at the front of the room and looked across the tired faces before him. He was tired too, but they had a job to do.

“The victim.” Detective Jeonghan asked.

“Park Chanyeol,” Lee Byunghun, a small but enthusiastic officer, answered. “Male. He worked in a music store and taught guitar to little children in the afternoon. He attended St. Mary’s elementary school, Dankook Middle school, Jeguk High school and graduated from the Seoul Institute of the Arts with a degree in applied music last year. Born November 27, he was 21 when he died. His parents are yet to be contacted.”

Jeonghan thanked Byunghun than asked, “cause of death?”

“Excessive blood loss due to the amputation of both his feet and his hands.” Officer Jeong Inseong informed.

“No teeth?”

“No teeth,” he confirmed.

Yoon Jeonghan sighed and ran a hand through his red strands, taking a moment to digest the new information. “And I assume there was no evidence.”

“Not a spec.”

 _For fucksake,_ Jeonghan internally cursed. Was it too much to ask for just a little break. He wanted so much to throw in the towel, to kneel down, hold his hands up and surrender, declaring that ‘I, Yoon Jeonghan, cannot do this. But he couldn’t. Yoon Jeonghan was not a quitter. If he was then there was no way he would have made it to this position so quickly. It was his tenacity and hard work that had earned him the respect granted to him by the police force that others worked years to get. His team and the innocent citizens of Seoul were counting on him.

 _I **will** catch you, Tooth Fairy. _ 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am an idiot who forgot to update this :(( I hope anyone who was genuinely following this just read it on aff instead of waiting lol

Wonwoo groaned as he collapsed on to the entirety of his wardrobe. “I have nothing to wear,” he complained, as he made a clothes angel on the floor.

“Why don’t you just look further?” Junhui suggested.

Wonwoo glared at his best friend who was supposed to be helping him pick an outfit for tomorrow but had done nothing but lie on his bed and play his videogames since he’d gotten there. “Is my wardrobe Narnia, how much further can I look?”

Junhui rolled his eyes at the younger’s sass and paused the game. “Why do you care so much, it’s just a work dinner?” Wonwoo’s insistent whining was ruining his concentration.

“They said there’d be a special announcement, aren’t you curious?”

He shrugged. “Not really bothered.”

Wonwoo frowned. How unlike Junhui to not be excited about the smallest of things. Perhaps… and Wonwoo may be reaching but, “Do you already know what it is?”

The red head’s eyes widened slightly and his body noticeably stiffened. He refused to look Wonwoo in the eye as he hastily got off the bed and went to Wonwoo’s clothes mountain. “You don’t have to wear anything fancy. This shirt and jeans will do.” Junhui said, as he picked up a dark blue button up and black skinny jeans from the pile and handed it to the younger before laying back down to continue the game.

Wonwoo watched the red head with suspicious eyes. Junhui definitely knew something. Whatever it was, it looked like he had no intention of telling Wonwoo so the younger would just have to wait and see.

 

 

Friday progressed quickly and without any major issues. Since Wonwoo’s outburst, people had taken to basically ignoring him unless there was a business matter. It didn’t bother him. He preferred being ignored to what they were doing before. Plus, it had been a month since Joshua’s death and most people were over it.

He soon found himself back home, contemplating what to do with the three hours he had until the dinner. Well, Junhui and Soonyoung were coming at 7 so that left him with two hours. _What should I do_ , he wondered.

Less than a minute later he was on the couch, in only his boxers, watching the episode of _Powerpuff Girls_ he’d taped the previous night.

“Wonwoo.”

He groaned at the annoying tapping on his chest.

“Wonwoo.”

He cracked an eye open and took in the blurry image of Seungcheol hovering over him. “What?” Wonwoo mumbled, stilling Seungcheol’s hand with his own.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be? It’s 6:45pm.”

What.

“OW!” he yelped when he fell flat on his face after his foot caught on the corner of the carpet when he’d scrambled up in shock. **6:45.** He only had 15 minutes until the others came. “Shit,” he muttered as he sprinted into the bathroom. The shower usually took some time to heat up but he had no time which meant it was an ice cold one for him. Quickly, he left the shower only to realise that, in his haste, he hadn’t brought a towel in with him. Crap. Only Seungcheol was home and Wonwoo was pretty sure he had heard the former go into his bedroom. He sighed and looked at the bathroom clock. It was 6:55.

 _Five minutes._ He had no time to dilly-dally.

“Wonwoo started the party without us.”

 _Oh my god… please, please, please._ Wonwoo pleaded. _Please tell me I’m hallucinating._ Slowly he turned around to see Soonyoung’s smirking and Junhui’s blushing faces. Instinctively his hands shot down to protect his manhood from his friends’ perverted eyes. How stupid of Wonwoo to forget that they knew the password to the front door lock.

“You’re early.”

“And you’re naked.” The blonde retorted.

Not really knowing what else to do in this situation, the businessman childishly stuck out his tongue and hurriedly retreated to his room…

Only to have his two best friends follow in after him. He sighed, and turned to them with an annoyed expression. “What do you want?”

“To help you get dressed.” Soonyoung answered with a shit-eating grin.

“Am I 3, I don’t need your help getting dressed?” Wonwoo huffed. “You just want to see me naked.”

Both of them rolled their eyes. “Yes Wonwoo,” Soonyoung started sarcastically, “my one motive in life is to see your skinny white ass.”

Wonwoo scoffed. His ass wasn’t skinny. He liked it.

Was he offended?

The question he should be asking himself was why did he care and the answer was, he didn’t.

With a shrug, knowing he couldn’t do anything to control his friends’ antics, Wonwoo left them in the doorway and started getting dressed. Just as he was beginning to do up his buttons (he’d done everything else with no help from the two who had sat on his bed gossiping) he was suddenly pushed back and landed on his ass on his bed.

“What the fuck?”

What were they up to now?

“We’re hitting the club after the dinner so you need to look hot as fuck.” The blonde explained as he searched Wonwoo’s dresser for his hair dryer.

Now that they’d mentioned it, Wonwoo noticed that the pair were looking a lot better than was necessary for a work dinner.

The businessman relaxed on the bed as Junhui did his makeup -applying BB cream and eyeliner to ‘highlight his sexy gaze’- and Soonyoung styled his still damp black hair in a way that left his forehead exposed. The result of their labour was a sexy vampire looking Wonwoo.

 

 

Pre-party drinks and late Friday night traffic resulted in them being 20 minutes late. Junhui had fretted about leaving a bad impression on the higher ups but it turned out that they were still one of the first to get there.

They were directed, by a pretty girl in a black dress, to a reserved VIP area deep in the back of the restaurant. _Lu’s_ was a fancy joint in Gangnam that catered to the upper-class and the elite. Men and women put on their finest evening wear after waiting months just to get a reservation. Wonwoo felt out of place, underdressed, as they were lead through the tables of the quietly murmuring dinners. More than once, he heard a sneered comment coupled with a judging look thrown his way. He wished he could walk with the same confidence Junhui and Soonyoung had; the other two were excitedly chattering as if they couldn’t hear what people were saying, they didn’t care. So he shouldn’t either.

But he did.

He was thankful that they’d booked their own private room both because he’d be away from the judgemental people and because when Hong & Co. employees partied, they partied hard.

“Soonyoung, Jun, Wonwoo,” their names were loudly called as they entered the room.

Jason, the guy that had called them, quickly strode over and hugged them enthusiastically with a huge smile on his face. “It’s been so long since I’ve hung out with you guys, are we still on for later?” He looked hopeful but there was a trace of hesitance in his eyes, as if he expected them to say no.

“Of course,” Soonyoung grinned. “As if we could go clubbing and leave you out.” The blonde had thrown an arm around the other and pulled him closer, much to the relief of the brunette.

“I was worried that you’d feel I was replacing Joshua,” he confessed, eyes trailing down after having ruined the mood so quickly.

The three friends were slightly shocked by the impromptu revelation but they instantly set him straight.

“Listen,” Junhui started, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder that forced him to look up, “Don’t take this the wrong way but you can never replace Joshua and we don’t want you to. Trying to replace Joshua would be fruitless because he was one of a kind and so are you. We’ve always been friends Jason and I’m sure we would have been even closer than we are now if you didn’t live in the states but please don’t ever feel like you have to try to replace Joshua because _you_ are enough. More than.” He smiled, which was echoed by Soonyoung and Wonwoo showing that they shared the same sentiment.

Jason smiled back, glad that they’d cleared that up.

 

It wasn’t until 9pm that everyone finally arrived. There was about 50 of them, the young men and women of Hong & Co. as Joshua liked to provide opportunities for those who’d usually be overlooked, in attendance. By 10, the plates were cleared and taken away, leaving only shot glasses and Soju on the table.

A tinkling of metal on glass and a call for attention.

The rowdy bunch quietened down and looked at the handsome young man who was stood at the centre of the table. Jason Hong had always been good looking. He had a chiselled jaw, plump pink lips and round brown eyes that swirled with charisma.

He cleared his throat. “I’d like to thank you all for coming and I trust you’re all enjoying yourselves.” The group cheered their response and he chuckled. “I’m glad. I’d also like to thank you for accepting me so warmly when I took over as temporary CEO for my cousin, Joshua Hong’s, company. May he rest in peace. He did such a good job with it that I don’t want to make any changes and will follow his plans for as long as possible. That being said, I’d like to announce one such plan tonight. As some of you may or may not know, Mr. Kim, who has worked in our business operations department for 8 years is planning to retire.” Groans filled the room as the group expressed their sadness at the news.

Soonyoung leaned over Wonwoo to whisper between him and Junhui, “Good riddance. He raised the average age by 10 years.” Wonwoo gave him a pointed look whilst Junhui snickered before telling him that that wasn’t very nice.

“Jeon Wonwoo?”

The aforementioned man’s eyes widened and he pointed to himself almost comically causing his co-workers to laugh at his caught in the headlights expression. He looked towards his closest friends for some kind of explanation, hopefully they were just as confused as him, but receiving nothing but grins from them (the traitors, how could they keep secrets from him) he realised they’d be no help.

“M-Me?”

“Yes,” Jason grinned. “I have an offer for you, it’s a promotion, but I’ll discuss it more with you later.”

Wonwoo awkwardly bowed to the applause from his co-workers.

“Congratulations” Junhui beamed.

“You asshole, you knew already,” Wonwoo cursed but he was smiling.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Junhui feigned innocence when in truth, Soonyoung had told him about the promotion two weeks ago.

Now they actually had a valid reason to go clubbing, Wonwoo had stated only for Soonyoung to add that he also needed to get laid.

That had earned him a punch to the arm.

 

 

Wonwoo, Junhui, Soonyoung and Jason were in a taxi, on their way to the club.

“So,” Wonwoo started, “about this promotion, seeing as I’m the only one who doesn’t know about it.

Jason laughed. It was a deep but light and joyful sound.  “You’re being promoted to an executive position.”

 _Executive position. What, why and how?_ Slowly, the corners of his mouth turned down into a frown. Wonwoo couldn’t help but think it was a sympathy job, one he’d obtained because the higher ups felt sorry for him and that made him feel guilty. It meant that someone more deserving lost out because of events that were in neither of their hands.

“Don’t do that.”

Soonyoung flicked Wonwoo’s forehead leaving an angry red mark. “This was planned from before he left so don’t start feeling sorry for yourself. You earned it.”

That eased his heart. The guilt that maybe it had come from his friend’s death was beginning to eat at him but Soonyoung put a stop to it. Wonwoo was thankful that his friends had the ability to read his mind. They kept him on track when his thoughts threatened to run wild.

A relieved smile appeared on his face.

“What exactly are you giving me?” he was curious about his new career prospect now.

“Chief Operating Officer.” Jason revealed to the ooohs of the other two. Wonwoo just rolled his eyes, he had actors for best friends. “You also get to have an assistant. I have a pretty good idea about who you’ll pick but for policy reasons I’ve got to ask.”

Wonwoo hummed, tapping his chin thoughtfully with his index finger. “There’s no one I can think of.” Of course the raven head instantly had someone in mind, but he thought it’d be more fun to play with them first. “The way I see it, there isn’t anyone in your employment worthy or with the necessary skill set. We might have to outsource.” By now a certain Chinese man had started to whine as he chased Wonwoo’s gaze which refused to stay on his face. Seeing how that wasn’t working, Junhui switched tactic to aegyo. He used everything from peace signs and winks to the gwiyomi song until Wonwoo had to put a stop to it before he barfed. “After thinking about it a bit more, Wen Junhui might be an alright option.”

Squeal.

Junhui actually squealed as he leapt across both Jason and Soonyoung’s laps to fling himself at Wonwoo, thanking him repeatedly. Even if it was as the younger’s assistant, a promotion meant more money.

 

 

The club Soonyoung had taken them to was not as lavish as Wonwoo had been expecting. _Shinning Diamond,_ contrary to the images its name conjured up, wasn’t some high-priced, over the top, tacky socialite bar, rather it was the kind of place uni students went to hang out which kind of explained why Soonyoung had picked it. There was a bar with cheap drinks and a small stage for live performances. It seemed to be that Soonyoung frequented Shinning Diamond a lot more than he’d admitted seeing as they were instantly lead to a table near the front but off to the side that Wonwoo had heard be referred to as ‘Kwon the blonde’s table’.

“So why this place?” Junhui inquired, it looked like Wonwoo wasn’t the only curious one.

“Cheap drinks that do the trick, good entertainment, plus you don’t have to worry about protecting your image.” Soonyoung listed, but the other three weren’t buying it. Something was off.

Wonwoo’s eyes narrowed as he tested, “What kind of entertainment?”

If Kwon had taken them to a strip bar, he was going to get it.

Soonyoung became flustered by the sudden interrogation, undoing one shirt button before reaching for his drink that he’d been handed as he passed the bar (another sign that he came too often). “You know, music and shit. Woozi and-” the last name was cut off as Soonyoung chose then to sip his drink and the others knew they were on to something.

“Woozi and who?” Jason pressed, and realising that the subject wasn’t about to be dropped anytime soon, Soonyoung lowered his glass with a sigh.

“Woozi and DK.”

DK.

Why did that name seem so familiar?

Wonwoo’s eyes widened as he suddenly realised why he recognised the name. looking at Junhui, he saw that the former had also come to the same conclusion as him.

“DK. As in Dokyeom aka walking sunshine with the angelic voice.” Junhui smirked. “You brought us here so you could see your crush.”

Despite the low lighting, the red blush that burned across Soonyoung’s face was clearly visible and the three laughed as the blonde struggled to explain himself, eventually giving up with a huff.

For the past five months, Soonyoung had been raving on and on and on and on about this guy with a voice that was sent from the gods with a face to match. He had failed to mention, however, that he had heard him in a bar knowing that his friends would leave where ever they currently were to go to the club and embarrass him.

So why had he suddenly had a change of heart and brought them there?

The answer was simple.

Woozi and DK performed at 9pm and it was currently 12. They’d missed their chance by three hours.

Or so Soonyoung thought but…

“Young! Soonyoung! Kwon Soonyoung!” A boy with light brown hair came bounding over to them with a shorter one falling behind whose hair was a bright pink. “Are these your friends?” he asked, smiling at them as if they had known each other since they were kids. “I’m DK or Dokyeom, whatever you prefer.” He introduced and Wonwoo must admit, Soonyoung hadn’t exaggerated the radiance of his smile. The brilliantly white teeth had almost blinded him.

He was cute and Wonwoo approved. 

That didn’t mean he was going to make it any easier for the blonde though. 

“Hi, Dokyeom,” he greeted with a sweet smile that hid evil intentions “I’m Wonwoo, Soonyoung’s best friend. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

“He talks about you all the time,” Junhui added before introducing himself.

“Really?” Dokyeom looked surprised as if he hadn’t expected that. His eyes quickly darted between the blonde, who had buried his head in his arms on the table, and the blonde’s friends.

“Yeah. Like literally all. The. Time” Wonwoo stressed.

Soonyoung decided that was the final straw. Shooting up so suddenly he startled the others and grabbing Dokyeom’s hand. “Dokyeom, let’s go dance.” The blonde left him no chance to reply before he was dragging the blushing younger to the dance floor.

“Oh my god,” Jason cackled, “that was priceless.”

The three laughed at Soonyoung’s awkward actions for a while before wiping their tears and finally acknowledging the other newcomer.

“We’re so sorry for kind of ignoring you…”

“Woozi.” He finished. “And don’t worry about it,” he waved a dismissive hand. “That was entertaining for me too. From what I understand, we’re all the same age so don’t worry about honorifics, let’s just be friends.”

They all agreed and went to join Soonyoung and Dokyeom on the dance floor.

 

As always, Junhui and Soonyoung got caught up in some kind of dance battle. This always happened. The pair were both show offs and skilled at dancing. It was a battle of pride.

_Why did my talent have to be rapping?_

Ignoring the other two, the rest of them had enjoyed the past hour dancing and Wonwoo was reaching his limit. Leaning closer to Jason, he told him that he was heading to the bar to get a drink.

Separating from them, Wonwoo wriggled through the mass of young adults enjoying their Friday night and manged to get a seat at the bar. He ordered a Jameson on the Rocks.

“Wow,” the person beside him remarked, “That’s a strong one.” The man was beautiful. He had sparkling brown eyes that resembled a deer’s and a soft delicate face. His hair, dyed blonde, was styled upwards but in a way that made it look as if he hadn’t really tried.

“I’m sorry, but are you flirting with me?”

They guy laughed, a surprisingly boisterous sound that contradicted his soft features but it was nice. “Do you not get hit on very often? That’s surprising. I can’t see any reasons why. Perhaps…” he leaned in closer and Wonwoo found himself doing the same, “Are you a murderer?”

The raven head drew back to see the playful smile on the other’s small lips.

“I’m sorry. I have a dark sense of humour. I’m Luhan.” He winked, holding out a hand that Wonwoo instantly shook.

“Wonwoo.”

“Wonwoo,” the blonde repeated, swirling his tongue as if he were tasting the name. “It’s sexy, like you.” He laughed again and Wonwoo did the same.

Wonwoo was baffled as to why this Luhan guy had chosen him out of everyone here to flirt with but he wasn’t about to complain. He found the blonde extremely attractive and it _had_ been a while.

“So, what do you do Wonwoo?”

He was about to respond when a sudden bout of sickness overcame him.

Maybe he was feeling dehydrated.

He needed air.

“I need some air.”

“Wait a moment.” Luhan slipped something into his pocket before letting the other leave.

Wonwoo spotted a hallway that lead to an emergency exit and headed for it, hoping that the door wasn’t rigged to an alarm. As soon as he’d pressed down on the bar and swung the door open, he was met with a burst of fresh air that did nothing to quash the nausea that was sloshing around in the pit of his stomach.

Stepping out into the alleyway, he gently shut the door behind himself.

Maybe it hadn’t been air that he’d needed because if anything, it had only gotten worse since leaving the club.

The feeling that was rising from the pit of his stomach felt familiar.

A little too familiar for Wonwoo’s liking.

It reminded him of…

No.

He wasn’t going to think of that.

It was behind him now.

He was moving on.

Had a promotion.

The sound of a falling tin can surprised him and he jumped.

_Don’t you dare._

He should have listened.

“Hello.” He peered down into the dense darkness further down the alley. “Is someone there?”

One step.

Two steps.

_Don’t you dare._

Three steps.

Five.

The sound of muted music grew quieter as he drew closer as if the darkness was swallowing it.

Six steps. 

A feeling of dread.

Because he wasn’t the only thing taking steps. 

With every step he took further into the darkness, something else took one towards him.

Until he came face to face with the bloodied mess of a singer being restrained by a strong grip on his hair.

A grip that led to…

It was a dream. A nightmare. He was hallucinating again.

He had to be.

But he couldn’t be.

That feeling was all too real.

That feeling of dread.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Graphic

Wonwoo swallowed. The spit was thick and slid slowly down his throat.

He should run. Make a break for it. The faint sound of cars and music reminding him that he was close enough to humanity to survive if he ran now. If he ran now there was no way the Tooth Fairy could catch up to him. Wonwoo wasn’t particularly athletic but he could run fast enough to escape, he reckoned.

He didn’t.

Once again his body refused to listen to him.

Once again the power that radiated from that man kept him rooted to the spot.

Once again…

Once **again**.

This shouldn’t be happening again. Having to witness someone’s brutal murder should be a once in a lifetime opportunity but it looked like Wonwoo had a season ticket; one he would happily return if he could.

He was suited this time. A simple black suit with a white shirt that amazingly wasn’t drenched in blood. He was handsome. He looked especially dashing in that suit that Wonwoo akined him to an Asian James Bond.

Laugh.

Wonwoo wanted to laugh at himself. Here he was, inches away from a murderer and his victim, and he was checking him out. How sick do you have to be to do that? Wonwoo wondered if he’d always been that damaged or if it was a newly formed wound from their first encounter because no matter how many hours, days or months were between them, Wonwoo and that early afternoon when Soonyoung told him that Joshua wanted to see him, it was a scar that just wouldn’t heal despite the best efforts of himself and his friends.

A twitch.

Wonwoo saw the skin under the demon (which Wonwoo had now taken to calling him as no human could be capable of such cruelty) ‘s mask twitch and knew that he was smiling or at least trying not to. Did he know? Did he know that rather than being terrified out of his mind Wonwoo had instead been wondering if he modelled, you know, when he wasn’t murdering people? Wonwoo felt himself blush but was unable to look away. His hair was still brown, he found himself noticing. Styled down so that it hung like a curtain just above his eyes that swirled with what Wonwoo could only describe as evil -and maybe a hint of excitement. Wonwoo could see all of this because despite the fact that it was almost pitch black, the demon shone. It was as if the dark couldn’t touch him, **wouldn’t** touch him; it was too afraid. So instead it consumed everything else.

That would be a problem as it wasn’t only that skin prickling dread that had overcome Wonwoo, the numbness was there too. Perhaps that was why he was able to observe the demon with such detachment it was as if he was looking at a magazine advertisement. Perhaps that was also why the darkness sought him, it was dancing around him like a boxer circling their opponent in the ring. It could sense how emotionally weak he was. Knew he wouldn’t put up much of a fight. It was snaking around him, threatening to enter his orifices, and it would of if not for the whimper of the victim, the prey caught in the demon’s mouse trap.

The Tooth Fairy had tightened his grip on the victim’s hair, the veins in his hand straining under his skin. Maybe he knew Wonwoo was beginning to disengage so drew his attention back by pulling at his mouse’s pink strands of hair.

It hadn’t been hard for Wonwoo to forget that Woozi was there. The singer was considerably shorter than the two of them, barely reaching their chests, so he easily fell out of his vision. But now Wonwoo was consciously aware that he was there, and that numbness was ebbing away like the remnants of a drug fuelled high. It was difficult to be indifferent to someone’s suffering when it was happening less than an arm’s reach away from you.

Wonwoo looked down. His gaze, unfortunately, locking with Woozi’s. Just one look was enough to tell him that there was nothing he could do for him. Although their eyes had locked, it had only been for a second before Woozi’s ones were lazily drifting elsewhere. His eyelids looked as if they weighed tonnes as he struggled to keep them open.

“Do you like what I’ve done with him?”

Wonwoo’s eyes shot up.

 _He’s talking to me._ And instantly a panic started in Wonwoo’s mind. _Why? What does he want? Is he expecting an answer?_

“He was making a lot of noise so I had to do something about it.” He continued on, seemingly oblivious to Wonwoo’s internal distress.

The Tooth Fairy tugged on the hair that was laced between his fingers, a small whine of pain escaped the victim as his head was forced back and his neck was presented to Wonwoo.

Wonwoo wanted to throw up at the sight.

He did.

It was the way the Tooth Fairy had ‘done something about it’. Where Woozi’s neck should have been there was a big gaping hole. Like there was a pot hole in the column of his neck. His neck had been sliced from his chin to his collar bone and the two flaps of skin peeled back as if it were the zip lining of a purse to reveal the soft pink flesh beneath which looked like it had several things missing.

“As I said, he was making a lot of noise so I thought, ‘why not remove his larynx -vocal box in layman’s terms.” The demon explained. “I only wanted to remove that but seeing how **someone-** ” he paused to glare at Woozi- “wouldn’t stop moving, I made a bit of a mess of it.” His eyebrows furrowed and he looked sad almost. If this was taken out of context you may have thought he just dropped an ice cream cone. “I’m sure I’ve punctured the oesophagus so he can’t breathe and his lungs are probably filling with blood as we speak.”

 _As **you** speak_, Wonwoo thought. This was an entirely one-sided conversation. Wonwoo wanted no part in this.

“But,” he abruptly said. The look of disappointment was gone and his eyes twinkled with fresh excitement. “We can still go on with the best part.”

_Best part?_

He wasn’t finished yet.

What more could he do to the poor soul? Woozi was barely alive as it was. The only thing keeping him up was the handle the Tooth Fairy had on his hair, the rest of his body hung limp and there was no doubt in Wonwoo’s mind that if he were to let go, Woozi would crumple to the floor like nothing but a sack of bones. And that’s exactly what he would be.

The Tooth Fairy reached into his back pocket and looked surprised to find nothing there. He turned to Wonwoo with a sigh. “When the correct tools are not available you must make do with what you have.” He let go of Woozi and Wonwoo ran forward to catch him, his knees buckling from the weight of the elder so they ended up on the wet alley floor. Wonwoo wondered how much of what was seeping into his jeans was pee, alcohol or Woozi’s blood.

What Wonwoo should have been wondering is how he suddenly regained control of his body and if it meant that he could go and get help.

But it was too late.

The Tooth Fairy returned and took Woozi from Wonwoo’s arms. He did nothing to stop him. The demon took a seat opposite Wonwoo and mimicked his cross legged position, seating Woozi’s lifeless body in the gap between his long legs. At some point he must have removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves because he hooked a tanned and thick forearm beneath Woozi’s armpit and tipped him so that his pink hair tickled the right side of his face as the singer’s head rested on his shoulder.

He looked at Wonwoo who raised an eyebrow. It was like he was saying ‘what now?’ and the Tooth Fairy winked back ‘I’ll show you’.

In his left hand was a silver tool. Wonwoo had no idea what it was.

“It’s a vice grip.”

_Can he read my mind?_

“You’re just easy to read, baby.”  
  
He shook the tool.  
  


“Wanna know what I’m going to do with this?”  
  


_No._   
  


“I’ll tell you.”  
  


_Why ask if you’re just going to do what you want?_   
  


“I’m the Tooth Fairy, am I not?”  
  


_So he’s ignoring me now._   
  


“And what do tooth fairies do?”  
  


_I’m not answering._   
  


“Collect teeth of course! That was an easy one, I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t get it.”

 _Wait, does that mean he’s about to._ Wonwoo finally realised in the same time it took for the Tooth Fairy to grip onto Woozi’s front tooth and pull. Wonwoo flinched as the sickening squelch of bone leaving gum echoed in his ears.

He’d collected his first tooth.

Woozi squirmed like a worm on a hook. His feet kicked at Wonwoo and his eyes were wide, frantic, as he choked. Hands scrambled in the air as he tried desperately to clutch onto something but he caught nothing but air; air that was everything he needed and the one thing he couldn't have in that moment. No matter how hard he worked to try and pump oxygen into his body it was of no use, there was a gaping hole in his neck. Wonwoo wanted so badly to hold on to his flailing hands. To squeeze tight so that Woozi knew he wasn't alone. But once again he had lost control of his body, so he could do nothing but sit and watch with wet eyes. His movements became more violent as he spasmed, blood squirted from his mouth and cascaded through the open wound like a waterfall, soaking the pair in red liquid. He was drowning in the blood that swam through his very own veins, and there was nothing Wonwoo could do about it.

One final rivulet of crimson oozed from his neck then that was it.

Woozi was gone.

“Even when you’re dying you’re a loud one,” the Tooth Fairy tutted.

And Wonwoo felt sick, disgusted. How could someone have such low regard for human life? His blood was still warm, it heated the businessman’s face. Just fifteen minutes earlier they had been dancing together, the bass pumping through their bodies but now one of them didn’t even have life flowing through them. Once again Wonwoo felt himself losing the will to live. _If Woozi hadn’t met me today, would he still be alive?_ He was a curse. A black plague on anyone he came in contact with.

A sudden weight in his lap caused Wonwoo to open his eyes. (When had he closed them?) The Tooth Fairy was crouched in front of him so that their eyes were level, his suit jacket was flung over one shoulder and the cuffs of his crisp white shirt were done back up and fit snugly around his wrist. His slender hand reached forward and Wonwoo flinched away from it but the Tooth Fairy used a finger to softly turn his face back to him.

“Don’t cry, baby.” He soothed.

Or at least tried to but it’s hard to stop crying when the thing that caused your suffering tells you to.

“You’re getting tears all over your friend. I hope you don’t do this next time.”

_Next time._

Wonwoo felt a shift in the air and when he looked up, the Tooth Fairy was almost at the entrance of the alley.

“Why?” Wonwoo whispered, yet somehow the demon heard him.

“Why, what?”

“Why do you keep letting me go? Why do you keep letting **me** live?”

He chuckled.

“It’s simple. You’re cute.”

He winked.

And then he was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Wonwoo wasn’t crying when Luhan found him.

The Chinese man had been worried after the cute guy who had caught his interest for the night hadn’t reappeared from the hallway he’d disappeared into 40 minutes prior. He’d considered the fact that maybe the other just wasn’t as in to him as he had thought and had instead used this time to escape his advances, but he wanted to give the other the benefit of the doubt. He _had_ said he was sick and looked pretty pale, so Luhan decided to check up on him, he could be seriously unwell. Luhan had been expecting to find him spewing up his guts, not sat in the middle of the alleyway cradling a short pink haired boy, with both their clothes soaked in red and dry water marks staining his cheeks.

So no, Wonwoo wasn’t crying when Luhan found him, but he clearly had been.

“Oh my god,” Luhan exclaimed, rushing forward without a second thought. “Is he okay? Are you? We should call an ambulance.”

The only reply he received was a slight shaking of the head.

 _No? No?_ Why would Wonwoo not want to find help for his friend -and Luhan knew they were friends as he’d seen them together earlier? If he was being very honest this was all a little too much. When he’d left his apartment that night he innocently only had plans of hooking up and now he was involved in this mess. The sooner he helped Wonwoo’s friend the sooner he could go home and forget this happened, it was probably just a drunken fight gone wrong so why did Wonwoo look so distraught or like he’d seen a ghost?

The more he looked the more Luhan realised that Wonwoo’s friend wasn’t moving, like, shouldn’t he be writhing around in pain or something?

That was how he realised… that there was no point calling an ambulance as the pink haired one was already dead.

So he called the police instead.

 

 

 _Oh. When did the police get here?_ Wonwoo wondered as he noticed that the narrow alley was flooded with red and blue lights. In and amongst the coloured lights were flashes from cameras, whether they were evidence collectors’ or bystanders Wonwoo didn’t know, or care.

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

He looked up at the familiar sound of his name and wasn’t surprised to see the angel detective framed by blue light.

“What happened? Was it _him_ again?”

He nodded.

“Any chance you saw his face this time?”

He shook his head.

And Jeonghan huffed, frustrated.

“Go figures,” he muttered. “Anyhow, we need that body.”

Wonwoo’s fingers clutched at Woozi’s shirt a little tighter and he shook his head. Like a lioness protecting her cub, if he couldn’t protect him from the Tooth Fairy then he’d at least protect him from anything else.

“Wonwoo,” Detective Yoon’s voice had that same calming effect as it had the first time, “there’s nothing more _you_ can do for him except cooperate. His body needs to be taken care of, don’t you want your friend to move on peacefully?”

 _He’s right._ Wonwoo’s hold slackened and instantly there was about four people swarming him and removing Woozi from his lap.

“This is the second time, Wonwoo.”

“I know.” Wonwoo had suddenly found his voice, although it was quiet.

“It’s probably more than a coincidence.”

“I know.”

“We’re going to take you in for questioning.”

“Wait, what?” Luhan’s accented Korean suddenly spoke out. “That’s not fair, he’s just a witness.”

“I’m sorry but, who are you?”

Luhan shrunk under the detective’s scrutinising gaze but he still managed to timidly say, “I’m a… friend. I called the police.”

Yoon nodded. “I see.” If he’d caught on to what Luhan had implied, his schooled expression didn’t show it. “Well, that makes you a witness too, you’ll have to come in for questioning.”

Luhan said nothing and accepted the fact that his night was ruined. But not as much as Wonwoo’s had been. As a result, he was determined to support the other as much as he can.

Wonwoo stood up on shaky legs, he’d lost the feeling in them from sitting down for so long. Step by step he walked towards the line of tape that sectioned off the crowd that had gathered from the crime scene flanked on either side by Detective Yoon and Luhan. When he got to the tape line he found that Junhui was waiting for him there.

“Wonwoo, what’s going on?”

“Could you not talk to the witness please,” Yoon asserted, unaffected by the glare Junhui sent him. He was in no mood to deal with this rude (in his opinion) detective.

“I assume you’re going to the police station, Soonyoung’s already gone with Dokyeom so I’ll meet you there.” Wonwoo managed to nod before he was guided into the back seat of a police car.

Detective Yoon told them that witnesses weren’t usually permitted to travel together but after persistence from both Luhan and Junhui, because seriously, the guy just saw something traumatising shouldn’t you be acting more sympathetic, he’d allow it.

Yoon and Boo were sat in the front whilst Wonwoo and Luhan rode in the back as they travelled to the police station. Wonwoo shifted uncomfortably on the plastic sheet as he watched the lights of the city blur as they drove. A sniffle drew his attention, and when he looked for the source, he found that Luhan was crying silently to himself. Wonwoo, thinking that the other must be scared, took it upon himself to comfort him in some way; this wasn’t the first time this was happening to him but it was clearly something the other had never experienced. Reaching over the gap that separated them, Wonwoo held Luhan’s right hand in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

Luhan jumped a little, shocked by the warmth that suddenly enclosed his hand. With glistening eyes, Luhan realised he’d been caught. “I’m sorry.” He apologised, wiping his tears with the back of his free hand. “I just feel like maybe if I’d followed you out then this wouldn’t have happened. The culprit might have been scared off sooner if there were two of us and your friend could have gotten help sooner, I just feel like it’s my fault.”

Wonwoo smiled, and rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb comfortingly, “There’s nothing you could have done. I’m cursed. In fact-” he paused to lean in closer and whisper the next words into Luhan’s ears- “you might be next.” He pulled back with a teasing smirk.

Luhan chuckled. Wonwoo was deliberately appealing to his dark sense of humour and it worked.

“You’re cute enough that I don’t mind.”

“Yah, didn’t I tell you guys no talking,” Yoon lectured. “Or touching, Wonwoo might have evidence on him. Also, I’m sorry for being so harsh. It’s just that this is a very important case and I hope you can understand the urgency.”

Reluctantly, the pair separated, completing the rest of their journey in silence.

 

 

When they arrived at the station, they were separated. Wonwoo was taken to a fairly small room with a table, couch and window with the blue curtains drawn shut. He was told to wait and that someone would be with him shortly.

About a minute later, a small guy with high cheekbones and bubble-gum blue fluffy hair walked in. Wonwoo wondered if this was the only police precinct in Korea with no rules against hair dying. The man introduced himself as Ryeowook and informed Wonwoo that he was there to collect evidence from him.

That meant he would have to take off his clothes. 

After Ryeowook had taken a couple pictures and with cheeks burning a bright pink, Wonwoo swiftly removed his blood caked clothes and put on the comfortable replacements Ryeowook gave him.

“I know this may be an uncomfortable question to have to answer, but I have to ask it: Did he touch you anywhere inappropriately?”

His eyes widened and his hands fiddled nervously as he became flustered by the question. Shaking his head, he replied, “No. Of course not.” Sensing his nervousness, Ryeowook pat the taller’s back gently.

“I’m sorry but I had to ask.” Ryeowook soothed, receiving a tight-lipped smile in return.

 

 

Wonwoo gnawed on his bottom lip as he waited for Detective Yoon to show up. He heard the click of the door handle being pulled down and turned to the sound expectantly. Boo walked in followed by Yoon, both greeting him with pleasant smiles. Wonwoo wondered how much longer those smiles would last after they realised that he’d be no help.

“How are you Wonwoo, you must be hungry?” Yoon conversed as he set a bowl of steaming hot jajangmyeon in front of Wonwoo. Wonwoo looked from the bowl to Yoon, checking if it was for him. “Eat, please, I want you to be comfortable.” Wonwoo had to supress a snort as he thought that the detective had sure changed his tune since earlier that night. Maybe there were cameras in the room and the other was being watched by his higher ups. Whatever the reason was, Wonwoo wasn’t going to complain if it meant that this interviewing process could go a little faster and more pleasantly. 

“For evidence purposes this interview will be recorded, is that okay with you?”

Wonwoo firstly nodded, then, after realising that the tape recording can’t see that, gave a firm ‘yes’.

“Okay, then we’ll get started. The date is November 1st 2013, the time 1:32 am. Currently in the room is Senior Inspector Yoon Jeonghan,” _So that’s his official rank,_ “Assistant Inspector Boo Seungkwan and witness Jeon Wonwoo. This interview is about the murder of Lee Jihoon which happened approximately an hour and a half ago.”

 _Lee Jihoon._ Wonwoo didn’t even know Woozi’s real name and what shocked him more was that he only just realised that. He was fine calling him Woozi, would have been fine to continue calling him that. It was as if calling him by his stage name rather than his real name, _Jihoon_ , allowed Wonwoo to remain in denial about the fact that, yes, a real person, a real human with a life and friends and family, who studied and walked just died in his arms. It hadn’t been Woozi, the short pink haired guy who was part of a singing duo, that had died that night but Lee Jihoon. 

“Wonwoo.”

He hadn’t even realised he’d spaced out.

“Are you okay?” Boo asked, he actually sounded concerned and Wonwoo decided in that moment that he much preferred the assistant to the detective or inspector, whatever the hell he was.

“Yes, I’m okay.” He replied, echoing Seungkwan’s kind smile.

“Good. Then we’ll remind you to report back anything you remember, anything at all, even if it doesn’t seem necessary. I’d like you to start from the murder and try to remember everything from what you saw to what you heard or smelt, I know it might be hard but I’d like you to re-immerse yourself in how you were feeling at the time and your thoughts.”

Wonwoo began recounting that night’s events. He left nothing out and even detailed what he’d done before arriving at the club. Boo noted everything down and neither inspectors interrupted, both just nodding occasionally to show they were still listening attentively. And as Wonwoo had expected, the smiles were gone once he revealed that the Tooth Fairy had been wearing a mask once again, even the kind Seungkwan was unable to hide the disappointment from his face.

Yoon theorised. “It looks to me like the Tooth Fairy is deliberately targeting you now, do you have any idea why this might be? Any people who may have a vendetta against you?”

“No,” Wonwoo shook his head. “There’s no one I can think of.”

“Do you at least know why he keeps leaving you alive?” _Is it a message of some kind_ , was where Yoon’s trail of thoughts was leading.

“Erm… that… the reason,” he stuttered, feeling his face heat up just by remembering what the killer had told him. “Erm… he said… it’s because I’m cute.” Wonwoo felt foolish the moment the word left his mouth, not missing the way the inspectors’ eyebrows shot up incredulously.

“Cute?” Yoon spoke, disbelief evident in his voice. Was Wonwoo playing with him? Honestly speaking, Jeonghan had felt sorry for Wonwoo at first, the image of a frail and shaking business man who looked like he’d fallen headfirst into Pandora’s box is what he remembers, but his detective senses were telling him that something wasn’t right. He had been on the Tooth Fairy case for three years and this is the first time anything like this has happened. The Tooth Fairy didn’t leave witnesses. Plain and simple. So why now, and why Wonwoo? Was he seriously expected to believe that the reason was because the business man was ‘cute’? 

“That’s what he said,” Wonwoo confirmed.

Jeonghan heaved a deep sigh. There was no doubt in is mind that the Tooth Fairy was fucking with him.

 

 

 

Just like before, Wonwoo was given a week off before he had to return to work.

It was his first morning back and Wonwoo was doing up the navy blue tie which matched the new suit Jason had gifted him. He checked his appearance in the mirror.His hair had been carefully styled back so he looked charismatic and business like. His phone jumped noisily on the dresser as he received a text message. Checking it, he sent a quick reply and put on his black leather Clarks cooling boss shoes, picked up his backpack and said bye to Seungcheol.

When he got downstairs, Junhui was waiting for him leaning against a black Lexus hybrid.

“You shouldn’t lean against people’s cars, Jun,” he scolded with a disapproving frown.

Junhui laughed and threw something at Wonwoo which the latter just about managed to catch. He looked at the small object in his fist and saw that it was a key. He looked back at Junhui and gestured towards the car.

“Yes Wonwoo,” he nodded. “It’s yours.”

 _Mine_ , he figured that this was one of the perks of being an executive, a company car. “I don’t know how to drive.”

Junhui smirked, he’d seen that thought coming a mile away. “That’s why you’re lucky I’m your assistant.” He winked.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes and got in the passenger side, not forgetting to push Junhui out of the way as he did so. The Chinese man snickered before also entering the car.

 _Just you continue to laugh Wen Junhui, I’ll make your life a living hell_ , Wonwoo plotted.

“Have you eaten yet?” Junhui asked, sparing a glance towards his boss who was watching the buildings go pass. A smile snuck onto Junhui’s face as he watched his best friend shuffle in his seat, clearly not used to the luxurious car yet. It was cute.

“No,” Wonwoo shook his head. “What you thinking? Jasmine’s?” he said with a smile, finally tearing his eyes from the view.

“Of course,” Junhui beamed back, risking a quick high five.

 

Junhui found a place to park round the corner and the pair walked into Jasmine.

That familiar tinkle rang as they pushed open the door and were greeted by the homely aroma of coffee. Chan, on the other hand, hadn’t seemed to notice their arrival as he continued to half-assedly push a coffee bean around the counter with a plastic stirrer.

“Achem,” Junhui cleared his throat not too loudly as he continued to look about the place as if he hadn’t.

“Jun,” Chan called out as he finally noticed Junhui’s presence, greeting him with a bright smile as if I hadn’t seen him two days ago. “I thought you said Wonwoo was coming back today?” he looked around for him with a pout but the elder was nowhere to be seen.

“Are you not happy to see me?” Junhui teased with a faux hurt expression.

Chan panicked, worried he’d upset his elder. “Of course not, I’m always happy to see you.”

“I guess you don’t care about me then,” Wonwoo shrugged after he’d popped out from the blind spot under the counter, much to the shock of Chan who yelped and knocked over the jar of tips on the counter. Wonwoo and Junhui were laughing hysterically as they helped the younger gather the scattered coins and replace them back in the jar.

“I’m giving you the usual,” Chan mumbles, as he rings up their order with his head hanging low and his cheeks burning.

 

 

“Welcome.”

Junhui opened the wooden door with a flourish to reveal to Wonwoo his first personal office. To say it was a step up from the cubicle he used to work in would be an understatement. His office was about ¼ of the size of Jason’s but it was definitely not small. Black book shelfs lined the left hand side wall whilst the right was occupied by pictures (Wonwoo noted that Junhui had included a lot of memes with stupid motivational puns). The wall directly opposite the door was made up of glass windows with the blinds currently rolled up. In front of the windows was his desk. Larger and made of a more authentic wood then his previous one was. Wonwoo could see folders already piled on it and groaned at the thought of how much work he’d have to do because unlike Soonyoung, he was actually going to get stuff done. In the left hand corner, near the door, was Junhui’s desk. It was ‘C’ shaped and fit like the ear of a bookmarked page. In addition to the desks, the room also had sofas, a square coffee table and a foosball table -Wonwoo had given Jun a side-glance when he noticed that but the other just smiled slyly and told him that he’d appreciate it when he got stressed out.

“You like?” Junhui pressed, eager to get his friend’s review as it was he who had picked out the design. He tried to play it cool but it was very clear he wanted Wonwoo’s approval.

Did he like it? Wonwoo considered it… for like 2 seconds. Junhui was his best friend and it showed in how perfectly he’d lain out the room. But what kind of best friend would he be if he didn’t let him sweat for a bit?

“Well…” he sang, making a point of looking at every nook and cranny, his hands tightly clasped in the small of back as he walked around with pseudo confidence. He was a big boss now, he should start acting like it. “It’s… nice.”

“Nice. Just nice.” _Is that all he really had to say?!_

Just then, Wonwoo’s tight-lipped straight faced façade cracked and he broke out in a fit of laughter. “You looked so pissed,” he guffawed as Junhui’s frown deepened as he realised he’d been duped. “It’s great, you did great.” He assured, clapping a supportive hand to his back. “So should we get started, we will not be Kwons in this room.”  

Wonwoo walked behind his desk and took a seat on the comfy black chair behind it. Looking around the room he would now call his office, he decided: _I could get used to this._


	9. Chapter 9

He couldn’t get used to it.

As far as Junhui and Soonyoung were concerned, he was used to it. Wonwoo arrived at work each day eager to get started and prove he was worthy of his new title, but it was all a façade. A costume called 'Wonwoo the businessman' which he was all too impatient to climb out of once he got home.

Because it was too hard to pretend he was okay when he really wasn’t.

Wonwoo couldn’t tell you the last time he’d had a decent night’s sleep:

 

 

 

_SHIT_

_It was happening again._

_Wonwoo had now become self-aware of when he was dreaming, what was the technical term again? Lucid dreaming, wasn’t it? But Wonwoo had no control over what was happening. He was just as helpless in his dreams as he was in reality, a puppet to the Tooth Fairy’s schemes and desires._

_As if it were trying to be ironic, that was currently Wonwoo’s situation. He was in an auditorium on the stage, or levitating above it to be more precise. His elbows were held up in the air as they dangled from wire connected to an invisible control bar, but the wire was wrapped around his elbow and cut into the sensitive bare skin there, especially as gravity pulled him down, his feet frantically kicking around as they struggled to find footing._

_It hurt._

_Wonwoo knew this was a dream and that this wasn’t real but it seriously hurt, the pain shooting from the scared skin up his nerves._

_“I really wouldn’t do that if I were you, it’ll just make it hurt more.” The deeply seductive voice of the Tooth Fairy rang out as he stepped forth from the curtains. He was wearing a suit, the same one he had been wearing in the alley that night. Even as he stepped onto the stage which was flooded with light, his face was obscured, the shadows refusing to hide in the contours of his face and define his features. Wonwoo continued to struggle and the Tooth Fairy shrugged: it wasn’t his body._

_“What do you want?” Wonwoo barked. “What will it be today?” It was always the same routine in these dreams: he tortured Wonwoo, Wonwoo screamed and woke up._

_The Tooth Fairy tutted, shaking his head disapprovingly. “My lovely Wonwoo, always so quick to jump the gun.” And somehow he was right behind him, whispering the words into his ear and sending a shiver down the raven head’s spine. “And as much as I want to play with you, it’s not my turn today.”_

_Wonwoo let out a confused grunt at the other’s words._

_“Have you not noticed our audience,” he continued and gestured towards the rows of red chairs which were filled with faceless bodies, faceless except for the five in the front. “Today we’re going to play a game,” he announced with the grandeur of an old game show host. He was bellow Wonwoo now, his black suit jacket now a sparkly red as he stood beside a lighted wheel of fate. “This, will determine who gets the honour of going first.”_

_He pulled down on the side and the wheel started to spin, playing a jaunty tune as it did so. As the wheel slowed down, the rapid ticking decreasing in pace, Wonwoo’s anxiety increased as he trembled in fear of what was to come._

_“WOW!” The Tooth Fairy’s loud outburst shocked him and he finally realised that the clicking had stopped. “It looks like our first contestant is Mr. Joshua Hong, lets applaud him as he comes up to the stage.” The sound of studio soundtrack applause rippled through the expansive space as Joshua rose from the first row and came to stand next to the Tooth Fairy. “And now, Mr. Hong, spin the wheel to see what game you’ll be playing with Mr. Jeon.”_

_That jaunty tune began to play through the air again but Wonwoo was too busy sobbing to himself to take notice._

_“Removal of the larynx” the MC for the night loudly declared, and the ‘audience’ roared._

_Through his sobbing, Wonwoo started to laugh. Joshua was about to torture him with the method used for Woozi’s death and he found humour in that._

_“Hey friend, did you miss me?” Joshua greeted as his skin stretched into what Wonwoo assumed was supposed to be a smile. The CEO had been raised to Wonwoo’s height using a lift table and beside him was a tray of assorted tools: a knife, shard of glass, toothpick and scalpel. Wonwoo noticed, with dread, that these were the options for the ‘game’. The CEO brandished his pick, the shard of glass and Wonwoo inhaled deeply, his whole body trembling and his eyes shaking in fear._

**_THIS IS ALL A DREAM. THIS IS ALL A DREAM._ **

_Wonwoo tried to remind himself. But the sensation of the cool glass sliding down his neck felt all too real and he began to squirm which further drove the sharp edge into his skin but it wasn’t cutting._

_Yet._

_His eyes had screwed shut in anticipation of the moment his skin would be pierced, he sucked in a breath through his teeth when that moment came. It stung. The sharp point of the shard punctured him just below his chin before it was dragged, achingly slowly, downwards. Leaving a trail of crimson blood behind that throbbed and oozed more of the red liquid as Wonwoo’s heart beat increased._

_“I wouldn’t squirm, it will only make the wound deeper,” The Tooth Fairy warned, but Wonwoo couldn’t hear him over the sound of the blood rushing in his ears._

_A loud bell rang throughout the hall, startling Wonwoo’s eyes open._

_“And sadly your time is up,” the Tooth Fairy said, “but thanks for playing.”_

_Joshua re-took his seat and the wheel was spun again. The next contestant was (surprise, surprise) Woozi and what was his method of torture, amputation._

_Like Joshua, Woozi was raised to Wonwoo’s height using a table lift. “I’ve chosen a blunt saw. Cliché-” he shrugged- “I know. But I like it.” He smiled innocently as he wielded the saw, even taking the time to roll up Wonwoo’s pant leg to expose his pale smooth shin. “I’m starting now.” He announced, placing the blunt and jagged edge to the skin._

_Wonwoo held his breath as Woozi’s arm drew back, clenching the handle before driving forwards with force._

 

 

“Ssshhhh, it’s okay,” Seungcheol comforted as he pulled Wonwoo’s head to his chest and tried to coax the younger into following his breathing pattern to try and calm his down. Seungcheol had entered Wonwoo’s room after the sound of his panicked scream crossed the hallway into his bedroom and found the younger sweating and thrashing in his bed. “It was just a nightmare, it’s not real.”

Wonwoo was finding it hard to feel at ease when just over Seungcheol’s shoulder sat Joshua, with his face an unrecognisable smudge, Chanyeol, who looked perfectly normal until you realised his folded legs ended in leaking stumps, and Woozi, with his head hanging by a thread yet somehow his eyes were trained on Wonwoo, all their eyes were. They sat quietly at the bottom of his bed. Always quiet. Always there. No matter where he went.

“Hyung,” Wonwoo mumbled into his chest, the latter moving back slightly so he could peer down at the younger, “I’m okay now.”

“You sure.” Seungcheol’s eyebrows were creased with worry. Wonwoo’s screams of terror had become a nightly thing and whilst Seungcheol had no problem comforting the other, it didn’t help his heart feel any better. It was heart-breaking to have to watch Wonwoo suffer, knowing that he was putting on a performance at work and that that must take a lot out of him even if the younger had told him not to worry and to, more importantly, not breathe a word of this to Junhui and Soonyoung. Reluctantly, he had agreed, not wanting to give Wonwoo anything more to grieve about.

Wonwoo nodded. “I think I’ll take a shower.”

After Seungcheol had let him go, Wonwoo carried his worn out limbs into the shower and sat down, turning on the shower head as he did so. The cold water was a shock to his system but it was needed, and if anything, his sodden clothes kept him warm somewhat.

It didn’t really matter how his body felt as his mind was elsewhere. He barely registered the water turning from clear to red.


	10. Chapter 10

What was that? A knock on the door?

He paused his music and pulled down his headphones, and sure enough, there it was again, the unmistakeable sound of knuckle on wood. He hadn’t been expecting any guests today, but went to open it nevertheless. It wasn't uncommon for friends and other students to pop around.

“Hyung?” The surprise in his voice was evident as he saw who his guest was.

“Hey, Hansol,” Wonwoo greeted with a small but friendly smile, “can I come in?”

‘Of course’, Hansol had said as he’d held the door open for the businessman. It wasn’t the first time Wonwoo had visited his apartment but usually he was accompanied (read 'forcibly dragged there') by Seungcheol and there was clearly no sign of the eldest man. This was the first time Wonwoo had come here alone and Hansol found himself feeling quite self-conscious as his eyes darted around, looking at the empty cups and plates he had lying around the single room apartment.

“Erm...” he mumbled, his cheeks dusted pink as he rubbed the back of his nape, “I hope you don’t mind the mess.”

Wonwoo chuckled at the younger’s discomfort. “Of course not,” he laughed, “it must be a music major thing because Seungcheol is just the same.” Wonwoo assured him he thought nothing of the state the younger’s room was in and sat on the edge of his bed that fit across one wall with the window beside it. Hansol himself took a seat at his desk chair opposite the bed and swivelled around so he was facing the raven head.

“So,” he started, “to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“I’ve read your blog.”

Hansol's cheeks heated up once again and he shuffled in his seat. “Have you? It’s just something I do in my spare time, nothing special.” He ruffled his brown hair.

“Nonsense,” he was dismissed. “It looks to me like you’re closer to catching him than the police are, which is why I wanted to ask for your help.”

“My help?”

He nodded. “I need to know why he keeps letting me go. I’m surviving. For whatever reason he keeps letting me live and I know I should be thankful but it’s just so unnerving,” Wonwoo confessed. “I barely sleep at night and can’t focus during the day as I feel like I need to constantly watch my back, like if I’m not careful enough something will happen to the people I love around me. It’s suffocating, like being trapped in a glass box with no ventilation, I can see everyone living whilst I suffer silently, but if anything were to happen I wouldn’t be able to help them.” Wonwoo looked up from his lap and met Hansol’s hazel eyes as the younger had moved closer to him. “That’s why I want your help. If I could just work out why he keeps sparing me and seems to be targeting me then I might be able to stop him. Is it stupid of me? To think that I can catch someone who’s avoided the police for almost 10 years?”

“No Wonwoo, it’s admirable.” Wonwoo could see the sincerity in the younger’s eyes and it brought a smile to his lips because he had been so worried that the other would think he was naïve for thinking he could do anything against the demon that was the Tooth Fairy.

Hansol got off his chair and opened the wardrobe in the corner. Pulling out a cardboard shoebox from the bottom, he went back to his seat and placed the box on his lap. When he lifted the lid, Wonwoo couldn’t help but to peer in curiously. The box was filled with sheets of paper, newspaper cuttings to be more exact, and as Wonwoo read the title on the topmost one, he concluded that they must all be to do with the Tooth Fairy.

“I’ve been collecting evidence and information surrounding the Tooth Fairy,” he explained, “practically since the start. I have every article about every killing, the journey of the police’s investigation (or lack thereof)” he added offhandedly. “And every supposed sighting, but the only person who’s ever truly seen the Tooth Fairy is you, Wonwoo. Do you really have no idea why?”

Wonwoo sighed. A mental debate was raging in his head over whether to tell the younger the truth or not. He had been taking Wonwoo seriously so far but the truth may change that. No. he shook his head. He should give Hansol more credit than that.

“Because I’m cute.”

 

 

 

Jeonghan yelled so loudly it caused Seungkwan to come bursting through the door less than a second later to find most of what had been on top of the senior inspector’s desk on the floor. Jeonghan was in the process of throwing his stapler when the assistant grabbed his wrist, stopping the elder.

“JEONGHAN! What are you doing?” Seungkwan lowered the detective’s hand as he was no longer fighting his grip and guided him to sit on the edge of the desk. Jeonghan looked a mess. His shirt sleeves were rolled up and the top few buttons messily undone, his red strands fell over his face as his head hung limp. Heaving a deep sigh, he ran his long fingers through his hair to push it out of his face revealing his dark circled eyes and pale, sticky face.

“You really don’t look good.” Seungkwan said, taking in the sickly appearance of his boss. 

His lips moved. It meant that he was trying to say something but the words were too quiet for Seungkwan’s ears so he moved closer.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Hyung…”

“I can’t, Seungkwan.”

And when he looked up his eyes were shiny as if the sclera was the only thing keeping back an oceans worth of tears.

“Cute. Because he’s cute. He’s seriously fucking with us. I think he revealed himself just to laugh at us. He’s saying ‘even if I stood on a national television broadcast and proclaimed it to the world you still wouldn’t be able to catch me’, and he’s right. I don’t deserve my badge or my title, all I’ve done is prove all those critics who said I was too young right. I’ve looked over everything and I’ve got nothing except the fact that it’s a Korean male, tanned skinned, approximately 180cm+ tall who _may_ like guys.”

Seungkwan sat beside his boss on the desk and put his arm around the elder. “I think what might be needed is a fresh perspective.” He softly suggested. “There’s this blog that is really popular about the Tooth Fairy,” he said, getting up the page with his other hand to show it to the other, “he has some unique theories, it wouldn’t hurt to meet and consult with him.”

“Should we do that?” Jeonghan considered, his voice already had more strength in it.

Seungkwan nodded. “I’ll get the IP address.”

 

 

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Jeonghan looked at his assistant incredulously over the top of the car. The younger had driven them to a student apartment complex. With the assistant’s confirmation, Jeonghan’s lips pressed into a thin line with disdain because seriously this person was a freakin kid, is this what he had been reduced to, getting help from a child? Jeonghan was forgetting the critical fact that he himself was only a few years older than the other.

They travelled up in the lift that smelt of questionable substances, and arrived in front of Chwe Hansol’s door. Jeonghan was about to knock when it opened for him.

“Oh.” The guy was startled, but hastily bowed. “Inspectors.” Then he was off down the hallway, both detectives watching his back as it disappeared around a corner.

“Was that?” Seungkwan started, eyes blinking slowly in disbelief.

“Jeon Wonwoo.”


	11. Chapter 11

Supportive loved-ones.

If anyone was going through trauma Wonwoo would tell them that supportive loved-ones might be the best thing to help them get through it. At least that’s what Wonwoo thought was helping him because he was getting better.

The first thing was a decrease of the night terrors. They went from every night a week to three then two. Two he could deal with. He didn’t even need Seungcheol’s help anymore, just imagining the elders comforting words was enough.

Second was he’d stopped acting at work. Why? Because it was no longer an act. He was genuinely enjoying his new position. The workload kept his mind busy so it couldn’t get distracted by his 'friends' floating around the room. Sometimes it didn’t work. Sometimes he had to tell one of them not to rest their feet on the table or touch that stack of papers which often earned him a raised eyebrow from Junhui but Wonwoo would dismiss it with a smile and a wave of a dismissive hand.  

 

 

“Wonwoo,” Junhui called.

The COO lowered the contract he was reading to look at his assistant over the rim of his circle-glasses. “Yeah?”

“Jason wants to see you in meeting room 1.”

“Now?”

He nodded.

Wonwoo wondered what the CEO might want to see him for. He wasn’t late on any reports to his knowledge, but maybe something had slipped through his many tasks unnoticed. _Okay._ He accepted. It wasn’t exactly like he could say no anyways. After asking Junhui to finish going through that contract for him, Wonwoo made his way to the meeting rooms which were a couple floors below him. Jason probably wanted to meet there because he’d just completed a briefing, but as far as Wonwoo could remember, there weren’t any scheduled for today. _Peculiar._ Wonwoo thought it was strange.

“Wonwoo.” Jason greeted him with a quick hug when he entered the room, that charismatic smile that could win over anyone from children to the elderly stretched his face.

“Jason,” Wonwoo smiled back, “to what do I owe the pleasure of this sudden summoning?”

“I just wanted to congratulate you.”

Wonwoo let out a grunt of surprise and probably made a face that made him look like an idiot because Jason started laughing.

“I wanted to congratulate you on what a good job you’ve been doing. All the department heads have been complimenting you immensely.”

“Really?” Wonwoo didn’t really believe him, or not that he didn’t believe him, more he thought he might be exaggerating a bit.

Jason rolled his eyes and muttered ‘oh my god’ in that deep American-accented voice of his. Wonwoo seriously needed to gain some more confidence; he was great! Why could everyone see that but him?

“Yes, Wonwoo. You’re doing an amazing job, employee contentment has increased by 3% and it’s only been a month.” Wonwoo blushed at the praise. “Personally, I think you’re doing more than required and you’ve all been working so hard so I’m giving you guys holiday. You, Junhui and Soonyoung,” he clarified.

Then it occurred to Wonwoo. There was no laptop that a PowerPoint might have been displayed from. No empty plastic cups or disturbed chair. Because no meeting had taken place. Jason had wanted to meet Wonwoo in here for reasons that were just occurring to Wonwoo.

The American didn’t want to meet in his office -his cousin’s former office.

Wonwoo bit back the bitter smile that was threatening to grace his face. He should be thankful for his friend’s consideration. Being in that office again would most likely trigger him and set back the hard work ~~he’d~~ they’d all been doing the past month. It was much easier to look at the blood splattered on Jason’s face with this background rather than the actual location. Wonwoo thought that if they’d been in the office then he might have been having this conversation with Joshua rather than Jason, Joshua was probably eager to sit back on his chair.

“It’s an extended weekend, you’ll have the Friday and Monday off.”

Right. Jason was still talking.

Wonwoo just smiled and nodded his head, showing that he was accepting the holiday. Opposing it wouldn’t get him anywhere anyway.  

 

 

 

Soonyoung loaded the last of the bags into the car before shutting the boot with the help of Seungcheol who was clearly dressed in clothes he’d just randomly picked up: red tracksuit bottoms, Wonwoo’s large winter coat and Nike slippers on his white sock clad feet, but it didn’t matter because he was only there to see them off. The four of them stood in a little circle on the pavement. Seungcheol was trying not to be sentimental but it felt like he was sending his kids off on their first big boy adventure alone.

“You guys know my number off by heart, right? Call if you need anything.”

“Yes, dad.” They chorused, amused smiles on their faces as the eldest rolled his eyes but he had long accepted his role.

“Good. Then everything’s ready except for…”

“GUYS!”

They turned at the sound of a happy Chan running towards them down the pavement with a heavy looking backpack bouncing with each step. He stopped beside them and hunched over, his back heaving with each harsh breath he took. “I’m sorry I’m late,” he panted. “I thought you might’ve left me.”

Junhui ruffled the younger’s dark hair. “Of course we wouldn’t leave you, stupid.” The younger beamed. “I’m excited. I’ve never been to Daegu before.”

“You’ll love it,” Seungcheol proclaimed. He really did love his hometown and was sad that he couldn’t go with them. Hopefully they could all go together another time. 

They got in the car, Chan and Soonyoung in the back, Wonwoo was shotgun and Junhui was driving.

“Stay safe.” He gave a final warning before hitting the roof twice and stepping back to wave at them from the safety of the pavement.

 

 

The drive from Seoul to Daegu was a long one. It was over three hours to be exact. Luckily for them, they knew how to make a long journey interesting. 

First up was car karaoke.

“Seeing as you’re riding shotgun, you’re in charge of the music,” Chan declared.

“Are you sure we can trust him with that responsibility?” Soonyoung frowned. “We might be stuck listening to PC games’ soundtracks.”

Wonwoo twisted in his seat to glare at the blonde sat behind Junhui. “So what are you going to do, Kwon, get out in the middle of the motor way and swap seats with me?” he huffed, pouting and crossing his arms like a child at the blonde’s teasing. Junhui looked over at his best friend in the seat next to him and snickered, he was always so easy for Soonyoung to wind up.

“It’s a long drive, so why don’t you put on something to give me strength,” Junhui gently suggested. Even though Wonwoo didn’t say anything, he stopped staring out of the window and connected his phone to the radio, all with that pout still on his face.

The guitar intro started and sounds of amazement rang from the back seat.

“Wow! 3.6.5. I’m impressed Wonwoo.”

“I concur,” Chan smiled. “Perfect road trip music”

And then the pair of idiots in the back started to rock out, viciously head banging whilst screaming at the top of their lungs. Anyone driving past might have thought that a fight was happening in the back.

Wonwoo rolled his eyes but his pout had now been replaced with a smile. 

 

The second ingredient for a perfect road trip was **food**.

And they had lots of it.

Chan pulled his bag from the floor between his legs onto his lap and unzipped the bag which looked like it was bursting at the seams. With a smile on his face, he reached in and pulled out a six-pack of cola. Soonyoung exclaimed, grabbing the pack from Chan and shaking it excitedly.

Junhui saw what was happening, to his horror, in the rear-view mirror. “Oh my god! If you spill that in my car,” Junhui warned, anxiously watching the two in case the sticky soda spilt in his car.

As they drove along, Chan pulled out more and more snacks.

“Did you actually pack any clothes?” Wonwoo asked in amazement as the space between Soonyoung and Chan became increasingly filled with an assortment of food. They could open up a travelling convenience store if they wanted to.

“Of course Wonwoo, I’m not stupid like Soonyoung.”

“Yah!” Soonyoung’s mouth dropped in shock. “You brat!” He leant over the seat to pull Chan into a headlock and give him a knuckle sandwich.

“Mercy! Please!” Chan begged in between pained giggles.

“Children.” Junhui muttered as the pair up front laughed at their antics.

It was a while later when Chan pulled out yet another snack from his bag, which was once again instantly snatched up by Soonyoung.

“Wonwoo, do you want to play the pepero game with me?” Soonyoung suggestively wriggled his eyebrows. Wonwoo, who had been feeding Junhui his cola through a straw, turned to see the blonde waiting with a chocolate covered pepero stick between his lips. “I’d rather die.”

 

 

Junhui stretched and clicked his neck after shutting off the engine. Looking around the car, he saw that everyone else had fallen asleep. What would be the best way to wake them up?

“AAAAAAHHHHHHH!” the three collectively screamed as they were woken up by the blaring of the car’s horn, Junhui clapping in glee.

“We’re here.” He announced.

Soonyoung glared at the Chinese man, or at least tried to, but his sleepy eyes were still swollen. “You couldn’t have found a nicer way to do that?” he grouched and Junhui shrugged.

“This was more entertaining.”

With a lot of grumbling, they all packed up their empty snack packets and got out of the car, collecting their bags from the boot too. They walked up to the front door of the house they had parked in front of and knocked on the door, which was opened by a middle-aged man that was around the same height as Junhui.

“Aigoo,” he exclaimed, his kind eyes wrinkling as he smiled. “You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you, Wonwoo.” He pulled the raven head into a tight hug that was happily returned. “And you too, Junhui. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good, papa.” Junhui beamed, moving into the house after Wonwoo. It was like a conveyor belt of greetings.

“And Soonyoung, why hasn’t your hair fallen out yet?” He playfully scolded before hugging the blonde too. “You must be Chan.” He smiled when the youngest bowed 90° in greeting. “Such a respectful young boy, Soonyoung could learn a few things from you.” He stage whispered much to the amusement of the others.

This was where Seungcheol got his mischievousness from. 

 

 

Chan was practically vibrating on the spot with excitement as they walked through the entrance to E-World.

“I’ve never been here before, I’m so excited! I want to go on everything!” He grinned.

The others smiled tenderly at the youngest’s enthusiasm. It was very cute.

“We know you’re excited, you said it about ten times on the ride here and five more since we got here.” Soonyoung said, causing the youngest to pout.

“Don’t be so condescending, I’m allowed to be excited.”

“Of course you are, but what will you do when the height restriction says no.”

Chan’s mouth hung in shock. “Wow, Woo hyung. That was a low blow.” When the others started snickering he realised the pun he’d made and rolled his eyes. “You’re such children, I can’t believe I’m the youngest.”

True to his word, Chan went on every ride in the amusement park (even the tea cups). Despite Wonwoo’s protests, as it was way too cold for that, the four of them found themselves on the ice rink in the tower. Reluctantly, Wonwoo ended up with Junhui clinging to his arm as the former sucked, with a capital S-U-C-K-E-D, at skating so he was basically pulling the other around the rink whilst Soonyoung and Chan skated freely around them. After all that ~~skating~~ falling down they were famished, and headed upstairs to the Foodpolitan, their mouths watering at the sight and smell of so much food.

“I think I’ve died and gone to food heaven,” Soonyoung mumbled, receiving nods of agreement from the other three, their stomachs rumbling. None of them had realised how hungry they were until then.

When they had finished stuffing their faces, they decided to head up to the 77th floor of the 83 Tower where the observatory deck was. It was now night time, and from that high up, they could see the whole of the city of Daegu lit up against the dark winter sky.

It was breath-taking.

The way the city lights twinkled in the distance like stars.

Looking at the site, Wonwoo felt… free? Was free the right word? He felt untouchable. Like the demon and his negativity couldn’t reach him where he was, so high in the clouds.

“Come. Come here.” He gathered, taking his phone out. “Let’s take a selfie.” The four of them squished together, Junhui holding the phone on the end, followed by Chan, Wonwoo and then Soonyoung, their arms around each other’s shoulders and bright smiles on their faces as the lights sparkled behind them.

They had been taking pictures and videos all day, but this one meant the most to Wonwoo.

 

 

The next two days was spent at a Jjimjilbang, an overnight public bathhouse.

When they’d arrived, they decided to split two lockers between the four of them, taking off their shoes and clothes, they had a quick shower and changed into the blue t-shirt and shorts given to them by the bathhouse.

“We have two days to spend here, what’s the plan?” Junhui queried.

Wonwoo suggested that they get all of the saunas out of the way on the first day and do all the energetic things the next. They agreed on it.

 

“How can you be so brazen like that?” Wonwoo whispered to Junhui who was sat next to him with nothing on and one leg crossed over the other, baring all his natural glory.

Junhui laughed loudly and a couple heads turned their way which only increased Wonwoo’s embarrassment, which increased Junhui’s amusement. “Because I have a great body! I’m sexy as fuck and I know it. By the way, why are you whispering?”

“It’s crowded in here.”

The Chinese man raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment any further.

“If I’m being honest,” he said, suddenly his lips were right next to Wonwoo’s ears and the latter jumped in surprise, “you have an all right one too.”

Wonwoo frowned at his best friend, unimpressed. _Idiot._ Strictly speaking, Wonwoo should know that he looked good, he wasn’t being vain when he admitted that many people had told him so, but it was hard for him to believe it. He’d never been the most confident person. Always managing to find faults where others saw perfection.  

That night, when the other three were fast asleep, Wonwoo lay awake thinking. As they were half way through, he was thinking about what this trip was doing for him as it was doing a whole lot. He’d been having so much fun so far. He’d truly let go and enjoyed himself without worrying about the consequences, smiling so much his cheeks still hurt. Whilst vacationing with his closest friends had done wonders for his psych, the heat of the sauna had done just that for his body, unwinding his tense muscles so his body could feel as comfortable as his mind. Wonwoo felt like he was definitely on the better side of his recovery.

 

 

Wonwoo was beginning to regret agreeing to go to the noraebang section with the others. He would much rather be in the PC bang, playing games or something, he was really good with computers but no, instead he was listening to Junhui and Chan butcher SHINee’s _Dream Girl_.

“Wonwoo. Wonwoo!” He realised he was being called and removed his fingers from his ears.

“What?”

“It’s your turn.”

His face scrunched up. “Yeah… I think I’m going to have to politely decline.”

“You have no choice. We’ve already picked the song.”

With a sigh, Wonwoo stood up and took the mic. “So what did you pick?”

Looks were exchanged that made him nervous, and he realised he had a right to be when the intro the Bi Rain’s _Rainism_ started playing.

“Haha, very funny.” He rolled his eyes.

Monday was spent going shopping and having an early dinner with Seungcheol’s family before they set off back to Seoul.

 

 

The journey home was quiet but not awkward. All the boys were just completely content. Their extended weekend away had been perfect. It was fun and relaxing and exactly what they’d needed.

After School’s _First Love_ played softly in the background as they cruised down the motorway. At that time, Junhui (who was driving) and Wonwoo were the only ones still awake. 

“Hey, how you doing?” Junhui quietly asked so as not to wake up the sleeping pair.

“I’m good.” Wonwoo answered and he wasn’t lying. It was as if the sauna and hot springs had washed all his worries from his body and for the first time in months, he felt truly relaxed, like he could let his guard down.

“Are you still having nightmares?”

 _Eh?_ Wonwoo’s eyes widened in shock as he finally stopped looking at the taillights of the cars on the dark road and looked instead towards his friend whose eyes were stuck diligently on the road. What did Junhui just say? How did he know about the nightmares? Did Seungcheol tell him?

“Stop looking like you just saw a ghost,” Junhui chuckled. He didn’t even have to see him to know that his face bore a bewildered expression. “Do you seriously think I wouldn’t notice something was up? You don’t naturally have dark circles around your eyes and aren’t talented or smart enough to use make up to hide them.”

Wonwoo didn’t know whether to be in awe or offended.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He shrugged and looked down at his lap. “I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t want to burden you.” Wonwoo confessed.

“Wonwoo,” Junhui said and he looked up from his lap to see that the Chinese man was now looking at him having stopped at some traffic, “your problems could never be a burden to me. You didn’t ask for this, none of us did, so we have to support each other no matter what. I’m always here for you,” he smiled, “and so is Seungcheol and Soonyoung and Chan and Jason and any other friends and family. I’m not gonna pretend that I completely understand what you’re going through because I don’t, but I’ll always be here for you.”

“Thanks, Jun.” Wonwoo smiled back, holding the other’s gaze for a bit before turning back to face the window as the car crept forward and the radio continued to play 2Yoon’s _Nightmare._

“We’re interrupting this song for an urgent broadcast. The Tooth Fairy has struck again.”

Junhui almost caused a car accident as his foot faltered on the pedal. _What did they just say?_ Instantly his eyes shot to Wonwoo. _No. Please. Not when he was just getting better._

“The victim this time was Lu Han…”

Junhui turned to Wonwoo. Both their eyes were equally wide and alarmed.

“Wasn’t that the guy from…”

“Yep.”

“Have… have you seen him since then?”

“Yes, a few times.”

“Wonwoo, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He said, his voice sounding calm and distant as he looked back out the window and rested his forehead against the cold glass. “We should hurry up and get home, Yoon is probably looking for me.”

 

 

Wonwoo punched in the code to his door’s lock. The light flashed green and he let himself in. It was nine o’clock, Seungcheol should be home at this time on a Monday. Being honest, Wonwoo was surprised he didn’t come home to find Detective Yoon sat on his doorstep waiting for him.  

With his bag heavy on his back, Wonwoo called out, “Cheol, I brought you something.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

He froze.

Every hair on his body stood on end as if a volt of electricity had just run through him, and that’s what it felt like, because that certainly wasn’t Seungcheol’s voice.

Slowly, so as not to make any sudden movements, Wonwoo flicked the light switch on and confirmed his thoughts.

There.

Sat on the living room chair, casually watching Wonwoo’s _Steven Universe_ recording, was the demon himself.

The Tooth Fairy.  

 


	12. Chapter 12

Handsome.

That was the first thought Wonwoo had when he’d turned on the lights and finally got to see the uncovered face of the person who’d been tormenting him these past months. _He’s very handsome._

Hallucination, was the second.

_Am I hallucinating again? Perhaps this is a dream and I’m really just asleep next to Junhui in the car._

_Yeah_ , he thought. That made sense. The last thing on his mind before he’d fallen asleep was Luhan so it only made sense if the Tooth Fairy was what he dreamt about. It wouldn't be different to any of his usual dreams anyway.

That was what Wonwoo tried to tell himself to convince himself that this wasn’t happening, that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t really sat there watching his recordings (well, now watching Wonwoo) and losing his place in the episode.

If it was a dream, and Wonwoo had become quite adapt at lucid dreaming, then he should be able to control this one.

“Get out.” He said and was surprised by the level of strength in his voice.

The Tooth Fairy seemed to be surprised too as he raised an eyebrow on his perfect face and smirked. Wonwoo’s breath hitched. It was the first time he’d seen that smirk without a mask in the way and it sent a shiver down his spine. Whether it was of fear or arousal was yet to be determined.

“Get out, demon.” He tried again only to have the other start snickering, his shoulders shaking as he hunched over before a bark of laughter burst from his throat. His cheeks pushed up and his sharp canines were exposed as the originally deep rumble ended up being high-pitched giggles, he laughed so much you’d think he was at a Comedy Gala.

“Demon? What is this, an exorcism?”

Wonwoo frowned, he was making fun of him.

“You couldn’t think of anything nicer to call me like good-lookin’, Mr. Handsome, a gift sent from the Gods, I’d even except Mr. Tall even though it’s not that imaginative.”

 _And Mr. Handsome is?_ Wonwoo found himself criticising but didn’t dare to vocalise it. As harmless as this man may appear to be right now, he must remember that he’s seen this guy kill two people in front of him and knows he’s killed countless others. “So what should I call you?”

Mr. Handsome paused to think, his lips pursing into a thin line as he hummed thoughtfully. “How about Mingyu.”

“Mingyu?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “I wasn’t sure at first but hearing it said in your sexy deep voice,” he licked his lips, “definitely Mingyu.” 

Wonwoo felt his cheeks heat up, _he’s flirting again. Why am I letting it affect me so much?_ Clearing his throat to get rid of the embarrassing shame that yes, a serial killer was flirting with him, and yes, he was enjoying it, Wonwoo asked, trying to put on a false air of confidence, “Did you break into my home just to flirt with me? How did you get in here anyways?” Because now that Wonwoo thought about, there was no sign of forced entry on the door and being on the twentieth floor with no balcony, it’s not like he could have climbed up either.

“Ahhh, well you see,” he chuckled, “a combination of yours and your roommate’s birthdays is not the most imaginative thing in the world. And I missed you.”

Roommate.

Wonwoo’s eyes widened. _Shit!_ He’d forgotten about Seungcheol.

As if he could sense Wonwoo’s internal panic, when the latter looked up, he found the other smirking at him leeringly as if he knew what Wonwoo was suddenly worried about. Well of course he did, he was the cause.

And then it suddenly dawned on Wonwoo.

What the hell was he still doing there?

Without a second thought, Wonwoo opened the door and took off down the hallway. Luckily for him, the lift was still there and he rapidly pressed the close button until the doors shut and the container shuddered as it started moving down. He exhaled. Thinking he was safe for now as he hadn’t heard foot steps behind him when he was running. Exiting his apartment building, he hailed down the first cab he saw and got in, telling the driver to take him to the police station. The cabbie had given him a curious look, as he couldn’t see any reason why the casually dressed business man might want to get there so fast but it wasn’t his job to wonder that so he drove quickly as asked.

 

 

When Wonwoo got to the police station that was becoming way too familiar to him, it was abuzz with activity and he was momentarily too bewildered to do anything. It wasn’t until he was slightly knocked off balance by someone speeding pass with a bunch of files in their hand that he remembered what he was there for.

He didn’t need to stop and ask for directions, he knew where Yoon’s office was. He started walking. _How do you tell someone there’s a serial killer sat in your living room? Will he even believe me?_ Wonwoo remembered how the detective had practically championed the idea of using him as bait and a bitter smile crossed his lips, _you got your wish._

Wonwoo’s thoughts were distracted by the vibrating of his phone in his pocket, without looking at it, he picked up and held it to his ear.

“Wonwoo, what do you think you’re doing?”

He stopped in the middle of the hallway, his blood running cold.

“Mingyu?”

“What are you doing Wonwoo?” he continued. “Do you really think reporting me to the police is the best thing to do right now?” Wonwoo eyes spun as he looked around for a sign of the serial killer. Had he been followed? “I didn’t think you had such low regard for the safety of your friends, Seungcheol won’t live much longer if you don’t come home Wonwoo. He’s safe for now, but I miss you and I might get bored.” Wonwoo could hear the pout in his voice. How could he make such malicious words sound… cute? As if he was begging a parent to buy him a new toy.

 _He has Seungcheol?_ More than that, he had Wonwoo’s phone number, knew his birthday, where he lived. How much more did he know about Wonwoo’s life? For how long had he been stalking him? Everyone Wonwoo knew was in danger: Junhui, Soonyoung, Chan, Jason, Luhan -wait, not him anymore-, Hansol and others. What could Wonwoo do, when the Tooth Fairy was practically holding a knife to his neck.

He sighed, the cold turning his breath to fog, as he sat on the steps outside the station and wondered where it had all gone so wrong.

 

 

The light flashed green and Wonwoo let himself in. The lights were still on but Mingyu was no longer sat on their sofa.

“Mingyu?” He tentatively called out.

“Mingyu? Who’s that?”

Wonwoo couldn’t believe his ears. Rounding the corner that lead to the bedrooms, he found Seungcheol with his hood drawn over his head and a white plastic bag in his hand. Wonwoo couldn’t control the happiness he felt at seeing Seungcheol safe and unharmed and launched himself at the older man, tackling him to the floor in an overenthusiastic hug.

Seungcheol, who had no idea what was going on right now, just returned the hug, giggling softly as he said, “Did you really miss me that much? I’m sorry, I stayed at Uni late but I brought food to make up for it. You hungry?” Wonwoo nodded into his neck, his black hair tickling the elder’s chin. “Well, get off of me so I can dish it then.” He laughed, trying to push the oversized baby off of him, but Wonwoo wasn’t having it and clung to him like a koala.

“I guess you missed me more than I thought you would. Anyone would think I’d gone missing.” He mumbled.

 _You have no idea,_ Wonwoo thought.


	13. Chapter 13

“Seungcheol!” Hansol called out across the canteen, waving frantically to get Seungcheol’s attention. Seungcheol chuckled to himself before making his way over to the younger, who beamed at him as he took the seat opposite. “Hey Seungcheol, how are you?”

“Tired, Mr. Bang has me working on a special project for the upcoming Christmas showcase but he’s giving me extra credit so I don’t really mind.”

Hansol sighed as he shook his head, “I need to get into one of Bang PD’s classes next year, he always seems to be giving you extra credit.”

Seungcheol smiled proudly, Mr. Bang was one of the best teachers in the university and he was lucky to be a favourite.

“Have you eaten yet, I’ll buy you lunch?”

“You don’t need to, it’s on me. I know how much you’ve been looking after Wonwoo, you deserve a rest.”

Seungcheol chuckled awkwardly as he ruffled his black hair. He didn’t really see it as ‘looking after’ Wonwoo more, supporting him as a friend and a hyung. In the space of a couple months he had lost four friends, that’s not easy for anyone.  

Hansol left and returned a minute later with two hot chocolates and two bowls of soup.

“Thank you, Hansolie.” Seungcheol said with a cute tone.

“No problem.”

The two students enjoyed their lunch which was perfect during the cold months of December, it had even started snowing recently.

“How’s your blog going?” Seungcheol asked, his soup was finished and he was now blowing on his drink to cool it down before taking a tentative sip.

“It’s going well!” He smiled, obviously happy to have him show an interest. “I even had some detectives come to consult with me.” He leaned across the table, and without realising it, Seungcheol did the same. Hansol looked around quickly before cupping a hand to his mouth. “Between you and me, I have a new theory but I don’t think you’ll like it very much.”

Seungcheol’s eyes narrowed as he regarded the younger suspiciously. Hansol was shifting in his seat, he was obviously nervous about telling him which only made him more curious.

“You can tell me.” He urged.

Hansol sighed, biting his bottom lip before taking off his hat to re-arrange his hair. “Well…. It’s just that… erm…”

“Hansol,” Seungcheol softly said, placing his hand over Hansol’s right one, “don’t be nervous, I won’t get mad.” 

He sighed again before continuing, “It’s just that… all of the recent victims have had a link to Wonwoo, so I think that… that… maybe he might be the Tooth fairy,” upon seeing the way Seungcheol’s eyes widened in shock, Hansol quickly sought to explain himself. “Of course it’s not that I think he’s capable of something like murder because I know that Wonwoo isn’t like that but purely looking at the facts he must have at least some kind of connection to the Tooth Fairy.”  

Seungcheol didn’t know what to say. The idea that Wonwoo could do something like that was absurd, Seungcheol himself has witnessed and had to deal with what all of this has done to the businessman and yet, he didn’t know what to say. Shouldn’t he be immediately jumping to Wonwoo’s rescue, defending him from the accusation? But even if it pained him to admit it and he felt like he was betraying his best friend:

“Wonwoo has been acting a little strange recently.” He cautiously said, for some reason he was afraid that the other could hear him somehow. Seeing Hansol’s eyes sparkle as he perked up, knowing that he hadn’t offended his most respected elder, Seungcheol remembered how overzealous the younger could get when it came to his Tooth Fairy obsession and didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. “He has been acting a little strange lately, but he’s allowed to. If someone had gone through what he’s going through and came out perfectly fine then I think that that would give you more reason to suspect them, but trust me when I tell you he’s suffering, Hansol. It wouldn’t make sense for him to cause his greatest pain. So while I admit that this is all very confusing and are tough times, I’m **adamant** that he is not the Tooth Fairy nor is he affiliated with him.”

 

 

 

It was almost a week later, when Wonwoo and Junhui were disturbed by a knocking at the door. They exchanged a glance. Who was going to answer it?

“Rock!

“Paper!”

“Scissors!”

Wonwoo cheered whilst Junhui groaned and went to answer it.

To say he was surprised by who was on the other side was an understatement. His eyes narrowed, and his lip turned up in distaste. “What do you want?”

Jeonghan sucked in a breath and controlled himself. _You can’t argue with the civilian, no matter how disrespectful he’s being._ Forcing on a fake smile he asked, “Is Jeon Wonwoo here?”

“It’s his house, where else would he be?”

_Control._

“I would like to speak to him.”

At this moment, Wonwoo had come to see what was taking so long. “Oh,” he let out a noise of surprise but bowed all the same. “Detective Yoon, why are you here?”

“We’d like to take you in for questioning?”

“But I’ve already answered your questions.”

“As a witness, but we’re taking you in as a suspect.”

“Eh?!”         

 

 

 

“What was your relationship to Luhan?”

Wonwoo sighed, closing his eyes for a couple seconds to calm himself down. “I’ve answered this question before.”

“Well, answer it again.”

“We’re friends.”

“Then why was your DNA found at his house.”

“So friends can’t hang out now.” Wonwoo was trying his best not to get defensive but they had been at this for over an hour now and they kept asking him the same questions. He also didn’t like what the inspector was insinuating, Luhan was dead, shouldn’t he be showing a bit more respect. Wonwoo was a grieving victim but he wasn’t being treated like one.

Yoon sat back down in his seat with his leg resting a top the other, his hands folded in his lap. He looked at Wonwoo, tilting his head to the side as the younger stared back, neither backing down.

“What was the nature of your relationship, was it sexual?”

He almost chocked on his spit. “What did you just say?” Yes, Wonwoo and Luhan had met up a few more times since the incident at the club but it was purely platonic. In Wonwoo’s eyes, Luhan was the closest person to understanding how Wonwoo felt. He too had seen a mutilated victim of the Tooth Fairy and those kind of images didn’t leave you. Hanging out with Luhan was fun for him, the elder was spunky and he liked that.

“See I think,” Yoon continued, taking no notice of Wonwoo’s reaction, “that you two were seeing each other and maybe it didn’t last as long as you wanted, perhaps having him lie for you to cover up your crimes became too much for the relationship so you killed him so he wouldn’t, no  _couldn’t_ , talk.” He speculated.

All Wonwoo could do was laugh.

Laugh in disbelief.

Laugh at the mess his life had become.

He laughed until he was blue in the face and Yoon had to send for some water.  

 

 

When Wonwoo finally left the station, exhausted, Junhui was waiting to take him back home. The journey home was travelled in silence. Junhui was worried about the younger but he was clearly too weak right now to hold a proper conversation. 

Arriving home, they didn’t even have to open the door as Seungcheol was waiting for them, instantly wrapping Wonwoo in a hug that he melted into, seeking the familiar comfort of the elder’s arms.

“I can’t fucking believe this!” Junhui growled, slamming the door shut behind him. “That smug asshole Yoon, what gives him the right to treat someone this way? This is harassment! Where would he even get the idea from that Wonwoo could be the Tooth Fairy? That’s fucking bullshit!”

Seungcheol’s grip tightened on Wonwoo as a wave of guilt washed over him. “I think… I think that might have been Hansol’s fault.”

“Hansol?” Junhui was puzzled, what did Hansol do?

“The other day he told me that he might suspect Wonwoo. Even though I told him that was nonsense, I wouldn’t be surprised if he put it on his blog.”

“Hansol?” Junhui repeated. He laughed once. “Wait until I get my hands on that twerp, how could he do that to Wonwoo?”

“It’s okay, Jun,” Wonwoo softly said. His voice was so broken and empty it sucked in all anger Junhui was feeling at that moment. “I’m just gonna go to bed.”

Seungcheol and Junhui watched the back of the damaged man disappear into his room and sighed. 

This might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.


	14. Chapter 14

“Wonwoo.” Seungcheol called out, knocking on his bedroom door. “Wonwoo, I’m coming in.”

Seungcheol’s eyes struggled to adjust to the low level of lightening and his nose wrinkled as he stepped into the room. “It smells in here.” He stated, moving immediately to the window to open it and the curtains to give the closed space some much needed air. After taking a breath, he sat on the edge of Wonwoo’s bed and pulled the covers back, exposing the younger man’s face. It was paler than usual and sticky with stale sweat. Seungcheol looked at him and grimaced.

“You need to eat, and bath.”

Wonwoo made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded vaguely like a 'no' causing Seungcheol to roll his eyes and sigh.

“Look Wonwoo, I don’t know how much more work you can miss, Junhui can only cover for you for so long and you’re about to run out of sick days. I know you’re upset-”

But that was just the problem, he wasn’t.

He should be.

But instead he felt nothing and was quite content to do just that.

However, Seungcheol had different plans for him and Wonwoo soon found himself lying face down on the floor, a muffled groan falling from his lips. “I’m sorry Wonwoo, but this is for your own good.” He heard Seungcheol mutter as he was lifted by the armpits and thrown over the shorter one’s shoulder and then promptly dunked in the shower. Seungcheol unapologetically turned on the shower head and peeled his soaked clothes off of him. “I’m sorry but this is for your own good.” He muttered again and Wonwoo wondered whether he was trying to convince Wonwoo or himself.

Wonwoo didn’t complain when his head was tilted forward to let the red water wash the shampoo out and he was soon wrapped up in a warm towel and dumped on the sofa. Seungcheol went into the kitchen and came back with a hot bowl of seaweed soup.

“Eat it. Or I will force it down your throat.”

 

 

Seungcheol had finally gotten him back to work, but the problems didn’t suddenly stop there.

There was a knock at the door which was swiftly answered by Junhui. It was Im Siwan, the finance manager. He greeted the pair with a pleasant and youthful smile and a quick bow.

“I’m here to collect the department budgets for next month.” He said, staring at Wonwoo expectantly, who shook his head slightly and opened his mouth to reply.

“They’re right here,” Junhui interjected, fluffing about as he collected the necessary documents off the coffee table and handed them to Siwan, who thanked him as he was quickly ushered out. Junhui shut the door behind him and leant against it with a sigh. That wasn’t the first time he’d done Wonwoo’s work for him.

“Wonwoo…”

“Don’t start with me Junhui.”

The assistant’s lips pressed into a thin line as he made his way over to Wonwoo’s desk and sat on its edge. He didn’t say anything. Just sat and stared at him. His gaze seemingly having no effect on the COO whose mind was elsewhere.

“Soonyoung and I are going out for lunch, you coming?”

He waited a minute and after receiving no reply got up and trudged to the door. When it became apparent that Wonwoo wasn’t about to change his mind, he sulked and left. He wasn’t sure if it was his mind playing tricks on him or not but he could have sworn he’d heard him say ‘thank you’.

 

 

His phone bounced on the desk as it vibrated with an incoming call.

He answered it.

“Wonwoo.”

It had been a while since he’d heard this voice.

“Mingyu.”

“I’m sorry.”

 _Eh._ Had he heard correctly?

“W-What did you just say?”

“I’m sorry about the police suspecting you and you being taking into questioning and all that. You shouldn’t have to go through that.”

He couldn’t help it. The bitter laugh that burst through his lips didn’t sound like his own but he found the whole conversation ridiculous and had to remind himself that this was a murderer he was talking to before remarking about the fact that what he was going through was **entirely** the other’s fault.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t accept your apology.”

“That’s fair.” He said before hanging up. He sounded sad, like a kicked puppy.

The dull dial tone hummed in the background as Wonwoo stared at the black screen. With a groan, he pulled at his hair strands before slamming his face into the desk. _What’s wrong with you?_ He berated himself. _If something bad happens to one of the guys, it’s all your fault. Why the fuck did you say that?_

 

 

“Yeah, he’s here.” Junhui whispered into the phone. He was currently sat at his desk watching Wonwoo who had walked in one-minute prior, two hours late. He heard the elder breathe a sigh of relief over the phone and could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose as the tension slowly drained from his body. This had become a daily ritual, Wonwoo showing up late to work. According to Seungcheol, he always left on time but for whatever reason he turned up at the office late.

Junhui was tempted to ask, but was scared of what the answer might be.

The Wonwoo he knew wasn’t there anymore. He was just going through the motions, reading that contract, solving that dispute. Wonwoo used to enjoy his work, a small smile constantly gracing his face as he tried his best to ensure every limb of the company worked together to provide the best results. It only took one look into his eyes to confirm this. His eyes didn’t show any sign of pain, of the emotional turmoil he’d been put through, which should be a good thing but neither did they show happiness or content. That was the problem, they were empty.

Devoid of anything and as black as his hair, his eyes didn’t even look at you anymore. He just looked through people, like he was constantly looking at something just over your shoulder. 

“Call me when he leaves at the end of the day?” Seungcheol said, and Junhui said okay before hanging up with a sigh.

His gaze wandered over to the raven head without his control and he felt his heart constrict with concern. His friend, his best friend, was so damaged, so broken and he didn’t know what he could do to help. Wonwoo had been doing well before the trip, he was getting better but between the loss of another, the betrayal of a friend and the hounding of the police, he had given up. And it was evident.

With a final sigh, Junhui steeled himself, to ask the questions he had wanted to the past week. Getting up from his seat, he crossed the room and stood in front of Wonwoo’s desk, the latter putting down the paper he was currently reading to peer at him though his wire-rimmed glasses.

“Yes, Junhui?” he said with his soulless voice, and Junhui frowned.

“Why were you late today,” he shook his head, “No. Why have you been late every day since you started working again?”

Wonwoo tilted his head, his eyebrows furrowing (Junhui would have called him cute if the situation was different). “I leave my home, go to Jasmine’s and then come here.”

“Then why is that taking you two hours! What are you doing, crawling to work?” Junhui had raised his voice. As much as his heart was aching, it was frustrating for him too. “I can’t keep covering for you,” he sighed. “Is there a problem with the subway or something, do you need me to start picking you up again?”

Wonwoo saw the anxious expression on his best friend’s face and knowing he’d caused that, he felt bad, he really did, but like a car with a blown out tire his emotions were shot and he was struggling down the road. “Junhui I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for worrying you like this.” He truly was, but how do you tell someone that you walk to work every day because Luhan doesn’t like public transport and that rather than the shortest route, you take the long way with all the main roads because Woozi’s afraid of alleys and narrow passages and that all of that takes you a while because you barely slept the previous night on account of the chatterbox Chanyeol. Wonwoo wanted to tell Junhui the truth, he really did, but how could he without sounding like a crazy person. “If it will put you at ease, you can start picking me up again,” he said, and then he smiled. A genuine smile that Junhui couldn’t help but to replicate. It had been a while since he’d seen his friend smile. 

 

 

“Yo Yo Yo,” Soonyoung loudly announced his presence causing Wonwoo to lift his head off of the desk. After having to listen to ten different peoples’ problems he was taking an impromptu nap. “Where’s Junhui?”

“He went to photocopy something.”

Soonyoung nodded before throwing himself down on one of the sofas and putting his feet on one of the tables, his arms casually crossed behind his head.

“Oh my god,” Wonwoo rolled his eyes, throwing a pencil at him, “were you raised in a barn? Legs down, now.” He commanded. “Bad doggy, bad.” 

Just as Soonyoung had started barking at him and pretending to bite his cushions, Junhui burst through the door clutching his hand to his chest. Judging by the red stain that spread through the front of his white shirt, he was injured.

Wonwoo and Soonyoung were on their feet in an instant, rushing to the Chinese man and guiding him to sit on the sofa as Wonwoo got the first aid kit.

“What happened?”

“I was photocopying this week’s meeting’s notes when some fucker cut me with a pair of scissors and ran off.”  Junhui asked, as he brandished his hand, a deep gash ran across the palm, oozing blood. Soonyoung drew it onto his lap, and began to clean the wound with cotton balls and alcohol, drawing a hiss of pain from Junhui.

“Who would do something like this?” Soonyoung wondered.

Wonwoo had an idea. What if Mingyu had lashed out at Junhui in a fit of rage because of the comment he’d made earlier that week? The guilt clawed its way from his gut and up his throat. He’d caused this.

“I don’t know. I don’t think they worked here, I’ve never seen their face before.” 

“I’ll contact security and have them look into it.”

For some reason that plan scared Wonwoo. What if they connected the perpetrator to Mingyu and subsequently to Wonwoo? If Junhui knew it was his fault he’d never talk to him again. Neither would Soonyoung. If they knew that just being associated with him put them in danger they’d want nothing to do with him. Seungcheol would move out. And if he targeted poor innocent Chan, he’d probably mess with his legs and end his dancing career.  That was the kind of person the Tooth Fairy was. The same person Wonwoo had apparently angered.  

 

He didn’t go home with Junhui that night, siting staying behind to do some work as the reason why. Junhui, with his bandaged hand, had stopped and giving him one last glance over, a concerned frown on his face. ‘Are you sure?’, he’d said and Wonwoo nodded, giving him a small reassuring smile.

He’d waited ten minutes before leaving.

Hailing a cab from outside the company building, he took it to Gangnam. His goal was to get as drunk as possible, until his brain was drowning in alcohol.

 

Stumbling through the door at 3am, he took no notice of the brunette sat on the couch as he bumped into every surface on his way to his room and flopped down on his bed, promptly falling asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

_You have no one but yourself to blame_ , he’d told himself when he’d woken up at 10am just to be sick on the floor beside his bed before promptly passing back out. Did he really think drinking would be a good way to solve his problems? It was a fucking stupid idea!

But what’s done is done.

Wonwoo regained consciousness at 3pm. It took him a moment to become aware of his surroundings. He was in his room. That was good, it meant he hadn’t drunkenly gone home with a stranger (and he was starting to worry because he’d been stripped of his clothes). He tried to sit up, but moved too fast and became disorientated by a dizzy spell, clutching a hand to his head, he hissed. _You need to be careful you idiot!_ Something wet fell into his lap and he picked it up to inspect it. It was wet flannel, Seungcheol must have put that on his head. Wonwoo wondered if Seungcheol had gone to university or taken the day off to look after him. He sighed. He couldn’t continue on like this, he was going to become an even bigger burden. Kicking the sheets off his legs, Wonwoo clambered out of the bed -carefully this time- and stopped. A sudden memory. He looked down at his feet, expecting them to be swimming in vomit but they were clean and only then did the smell of bleach reach his nose. _Seungcheol is an angel I don’t deserve._

He was in immense pain right now. With every step he took, no matter how slow and lightly he treaded, his head pounded as if it were being hit with 50 hammers. Once he’d left the bedroom the acrid smell of bleach was replaced with the scent of cooking and above the bass still booming in his head he could hear the faint sound of sizzling and began to salivate at the thought of a plate of eggs or bacon. 

“Seungcheol, what are you cooking?” he rasped out as he rounded the corner into the kitchen.

“Seungcheol?”

The room spun and Wonwoo lost the feeling in his legs, his knees buckled but he was kept up by a pair of strong arms which he clung desperately to. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes.

If he opened them then this would become real.

And it wasn’t. 

Oh, how he wished with every ounce of his heart that this wasn’t true.

But this wasn’t a fairy-tale.

And he could wish as hard as he wanted to but that wouldn’t change reality.

“Wonwoo.”

He felt himself be shook but still stubbornly kept his eyes screwed shut.

“I know someone of my beauty is hard to look at but could you at least try.”

He was coaxed into opening one eye and was met with the brilliant smile of Mingyu’s. Wonwoo thought he looked like a child when he smiled but quickly got rid of the thought. The demon only wears a childlike mask to disguise the evil beneath.

“I’ve made you breakfast. Or lunch. Maybe even early dinner” He chuckled. “You must have really drunk a lot last night.”

“Where’s Seungcheol?”

Mingyu’s smile was gone and his eyes hardened. “Aren’t you even going to say thank you? Why are you always thinking of other people when you’re with me?”

Wonwoo whimpered. Mingyu had negligently tightened his grip. He looked down at were Wonwoo’s pale skin was turning pink from his hold and let go, jumping back slightly, he apologised.

“You should eat some breakfast?” It wasn’t a suggestion but a command and Wonwoo blindly followed. He should continue to do so until he was sure of Seungcheol’s safety.

There was an island with stools in the middle of the kitchen area, Wonwoo took a seat there. He looked so vulnerable, dressed in only his boxers with his feet drawn up under his bottom and his knees pulled tightly to his chest. He could feel his eyes sting with unshed tears but he needed to be strong.

Mingyu placed a plate full of bacon, toast and beans in front of him and then leant against the counter opposite Wonwoo, watching him expectantly.

He mumbled a thank you, not being one to make the same mistake twice and saw the brunette’s features light up.

Wonwoo started eating. Despite the distraction of having Mingyu watch his every move, he was able to clear the plate in two minutes. He really was hungry.

“Why did you do that to Junhui? Was it cause of what I said on the phone?”

“Junhui? I haven’t done anything to him.”

Wonwoo felt himself become angry. He really had the audacity to stand there and lie. But he must control his anger. Just look at what happened the last time he let his thoughts get the better of him and he still didn’t know about Seungcheol. He took a deep breath.

“Yesterday Junhui was attacked with a pair of scissors.”

“That wasn’t me.” He denied again. And Wonwoo chewed on his bottom lip as he glared at the other. “It seriously wasn’t me.”

Sincere. Wonwoo could see from here that he was being sincere but this guy must be a really good actor to go about his daily life without anyone seeing him for the demon he really was. Could he really trust the emotions he showed in his eyes?

“It really wasn’t you?”

Mingyu shook his head. “It wasn’t, but I’ll find who did it for you.”

Wonwoo nodded. “And Seungcheol?”

“He’s gone on vacation.”

That was an obvious lie if ever he had heard one.

“I don’t believe you.”

Mingyu shrugged. “Don’t believe me. You’re entitled to your own thoughts. The bottom line is he isn’t coming back.”

Wonwoo felt himself panic. The room span again and he clutched the wooden counter to steady himself. The unshed tears came pouring out like the gates of a dam had been opened and he struggled to keep the food he’d just eaten down.

“Don’t cry. Did I say he was dead?”

He looked at the blur that was Mingyu, still leaning against the counter, and found himself pleading.

“Please don’t play with me anymore. I can’t take it.”

“Why are you being like this? I just told you he wasn’t dead. He’s safe for now.”

“For now?”

A slither of hope dangled before him like a baited fish hook.

“For now, _if_ you do something for me.”

Ah, so this is what this has all been about. The months of suffering, the amount of families he’d ruined and it all came down to simple blackmail.

“What is it?”

“Let me live with you.” He delivered his ultimatum. “If you let me live with you then I won’t harm him.”

With his friend’s life on the line, what choice did Wonwoo have but to agree. 


	16. Life lesson 1-3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How to live with a serial killer in the house?
> 
> Wonwoo was currently trying to work that out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so the next section is a series of drabbles I did to continue updating every day called 'life lessons'. Cos of their length, I'm going to collect them into chapters rather than each have their own. Also, each drabble had a ''life lesson'' at the end

They had been sat on the sofa for an hour, at opposite ends, in complete silence. _This is okay_ , Wonwoo thought. _Watching TV together is what roommates usually do._ He’d done it with Seungcheol almost every day, so it shouldn’t be any different with Mingyu. But all the mental conversations in the world couldn't overpower the empty silence in the room and the TV screen was mockingly black. Neither had bothered to turn it on, with Wonwoo’s mind preoccupied and Mingyu preferring to instead watch Wonwoo. He didn't even have to look at the other to know he was staring, he could feel his eyes on him, boring into him without a break.  _Damn, doesn't he blink._ What was so interesting about Wonwoo's face anyway?

“You don’t have to be so tense, you know. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

“I-I’m not.” Wonwoo had instantly replied but he couldn’t hide the stutter in his words or the fact that he’d jumped at the sound of the other’s voice or that until then he had been sat with his arm locked tightly around his knees praying that he could somehow fall into the sofa and wake up in a mystical land. If it could happen in Narnia, then why not for him?  

Mingyu laughed. “Hyung, don’t lie.”

_Hyung?_

_He’s younger than me?_

“I’m your hyung?”

Mingyu smiled and Wonwoo had to deny that it caused his breath to hitch in his throat. “Did you think I was older than you?”

_Of course not, I just never expected that a child could be capable of such atrocity._

“I think I’m offended.” He huffed with a pout. “What did my devilishly good looks do to you for you to call me old?”

“You don’t look older than me. You’re quite handsome.” Wonwoo admitted quietly and watched as Mingyu’s tanned face crinkled with happiness. In his excitement, he had leaned over the space between them causing Wonwoo to lean back, but the armrest pressing into his back told him there was nowhere for him to move to. This resulted in a very close Mingyu and a very distressed Wonwoo. He couldn’t help it. Wonwoo noticed that Mingyu had a very distracting habit of flicking his pink tongue across his lips and with very little else to focus on, it easily caught Wonwoo’s attention. When his eyes flicked back up to Mingyu’s, he saw the amusement in them and realised he’d been caught.

Coughing suddenly, he shot up and stood in front of the TV, pacing slightly whilst Mingyu sat back on the sofa, right leg crossed over the other, both arms spread out across the back and a smug smirk on his face at the obviously flustered business man.

“I have a condition.” Wonwoo made the mistake of looking up from the floor and found Mingyu’s black eyes staring intently on him. “Er… in regards to letting you stay with me. You have to promise the safety of my friends.”

“Okay.”

“And”

“And?” Mingyu raised an eyebrow. “You’re not really in a position to be making demands.”

“And.” Wonwoo ignored his comment. “No more killing.”

“No more killing. Are you being serious?” He pouted, crossing his arms as he glared at the elder. Wonwoo ignored how cute it was.

He was being dead serious. Wonwoo was already going through mental war over the fact that he had agreed to house his closest friend’s killer, if more innocent people lost their life whilst he was sheltering him rather than reporting him to the police as he should have done to start with then Wonwoo couldn’t guarantee his own life. “No more killing, Mingyu.” He affirmed.  

The two had a stare off that lasted for minutes in Wonwoo’s head but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds which resulted in Wonwoo’s win when Mingyu realised that Wonwoo wasn't going to back down.  

“Fine.” Mingyu agreed and stomped off into Seungcheol’s room.

A small smile appeared on his face when he heard the door slam. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride swell in his chest at having beat the murderer. 

**Lesson 1 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Be assertive.**

 

 

“Wonwoo, how are you feeling?” Junhui had asked as soon as Wonwoo had stepped out his apartment complex’s doors.

Before he could even answer he was swept up in a hug from the Chinese man. “I’m fine. I was only gone for a day,” he chuckled as he returned the hug. Junhui released him and held him at arm’s length, his hands pressing into his shoulders as he examined his face. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Wonwoo smiled at his friend’s concern and nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” Junhui concluded, relinquishing the raven head from his hold and taking a step back… only to slap him on the back of the head. Wonwoo yelped, clutching the sore spot, he glared at the snickering man. “Erm… Ow! What the fuck bruh?”

“That’s for leaving me alone with Soonyoung yesterday with no warning.” He scolded before entering the driver’s seat. Wonwoo rolled his eyes, before getting in the car with a pout to glare at Junhui, making a show of rubbing the spot where he’d been hit. Junhui looked at him, his lips pressed into a taught line to show that Wonwoo’s acting skills weren’t as good as he thought. “Don’t be a baby.” Junhui was clearly unimpressed, but even as he said this he handed Wonwoo the coffee he’d brought for him on his way.  

After stopping at Jasmine the pair arrived on time to work with Wonwoo still grumbling about his greeting earlier and Junhui ignoring his complaints. But Wonwoo’s grumbling stopped when he walked into his office and saw the huge amount of work piled up on his desk.

His mouth agape, he turned to Junhui who’d sat at his desk with his feet propped up and his hands behind his head.

“Where did all this work come from?” He asked his assistant.

“You weren’t here yesterday. The work piled up.”

Wonwoo stared at his assistant incredulously. “Didn’t you do anything yesterday? Why’s there so much work?”

He shrugged. “It’s not my job to do your work, Wonwoo.” Junhui looked at Wonwoo with a face that said ‘you’re preaching to the wrong crowd’ and the raven head glared at his assistant before getting started on the work.

It was almost an hour later and the piles showed no sign of decreasing. Wonwoo almost had tears in his eyes at the realisation that he was going to be here all night.

 _Wait._ He suddenly considered something. _If I’m here all night, then that means I don’t have to be at home with Mingyu._

Wonwoo didn't explain to Junhui why he’d suddenly started throwing a dance party in the middle of their office but the former just shrugged and joined in. Dance was dance.

 **Lesson 2 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Have a very important job that keeps you working late.**  

 

 

Wonwoo called Mingyu to tell him the ~~good~~ bad news during his lunch break.

The phone had rung once before it was picked up. Mingyu must have been on the couch to get to the house phone that quick.

“Hello?”

“Mingyu.”

Wonwoo could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Wonwoo, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Do you miss me already?”

“Don’t get upset, but I’m going to be home very very late today, so you shouldn’t wait up.” He hoped how disappointed he _truly_ was couldn’t be heard over the phone.

He chuckled. “I’m not going to be upset if you’re working, just tell me whenever you’re gonna be late home so I don’t go on a murderous rampage or something.”

Mingyu had been joking.

Mingyu had clearly been joking.

But that didn’t stop Wonwoo from feeling unsettled because there was truth to his words. Too much truth.

**Lesson 3 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Tell him your whereabouts, especially if people will get hurt if he’s worried about you.**


	17. Life lesson 4-5

Wonwoo groaned as he walked through his front door at 1am and deposited his bag on the floor. Rolling his head side to side to stretch out his neck, he yawned as he blinked his blurry eyes.

“Tough day at work?”

He almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of the other's voice. Clutching his heart, he was panting as he turned to find Mingyu sat on the couch, blinking at him with amusement laced eyes. “What are you still doing up?” He asked. What was the point of staying at work late if Mingyu was just going to be waiting in the living room? He hoped that wasn’t the case and that maybe the younger had just got really into a film that was playing.

“Waiting for you, cutie,” he smiled, getting up to come and ruffle the elder’s hair like you would a pet. “You always come home so late these days, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you were avoiding me.” He joked and only then did Wonwoo realise that he never leant back after touching him because the younger’s hot breath was ghosting over his face. “I worry about you, you know. Whether you’ve had dinner or not, whether the work is too much for you, shouldn’t Junhui be helping you?”

“Well, technically it’s not part of his job description.” Wonwoo pointed out quietly and Mingyu moved back with a snort.

“I guess you’re right.”

He turned, as if he were about to walk back to the sofa, but just as he took a step he caught Wonwoo’s hand, surprising the elder, and pulled him to the couch with him. The pair sat down with Mingyu excitedly asking, “How was work today?”

Wonwoo didn’t answer. He was too busy staring at their still interlocked hands.

Mingyu frowned at the lack of reply, following Wonwoo’s eyes to what could so adamantly capture his attention when the human embodiment of perfection was right beside him. His frown turning to a smile when he saw what it was and then giving their joined hands a squeeze. Wonwoo froze, looking up to see Mingyu smiling at him, he knew he’d been caught.

With a cough, Wonwoo pulled his hand from Mingyu’s and scooted back on the cushion, putting more space between the two.

“Work was fine.” He said, his head turned to hide his red face from Mingyu.

Mingyu groaned, throwing his head back in a way that left his brown hair wild when he corrected himself. “Aye, what kind of reply is that? Tell me more.” He begged, bouncing in his seat.

Wonwoo scoffed. _He’s a child. An actual child._ Did he even really care? _Well, I should at least humour him._

“Actually, something interesting did happen today.”

 

 

_The office was filled with the loud ringing of the phone and Wonwoo could feel it practically vibrating his brain cells._

_Wonwoo pulled off his glasses to glare at his assistant. “Oh my god, Jun! Can you answer your damn desk phone please?”_

_“What?” Junhui had replied as he pulled out his earplugs only to realise what was disturbing his boss and scramble to answer the phone._

_The conversation lasted less than a minute and Junhui ended it to find Wonwoo looking at him expectantly. “It was security.”_

_Wonwoo’s eyebrows raised in curiosity. “What was it about, that incident in the photocopy room?”_

_Junhui nodded. “They said I should come and check the footage.”_

_Wonwoo stiffened. He’d forgotten about that. He started to panic. What would he do when Mingyu showed up on the CCTV? **No**. Wonwoo reprimanded himself, **Mingyu said he didn't do it, you should give him the benefit of the doubt**. “We should go together during lunch.” He suggested, and Junhui nodded again before placing his earphones back in and returning to his break. _

_Lunch time came and it looked like Soonyoung would also be joining them. The trio made their way to the security office on the ground floor, being let in after knocking. Ok Taecyeon, the head of security, lead them to his office, sitting behind his desk as he gestured to them to take a seat opposite. He turned his computer monitor so the screen faced them and played a video that turned out to be of the attack._

_“Watch this, and tell me if you recognise the man.” He explained before pressing play._

_The three subconsciously leaned forward in their seats, staring with concentration at the video._

_Taecyeon played the video from three different angles and still nothing. They were on the fourth when Soonyoung suddenly stood up, moving even closer to the screen, he asked Taecyeon to play it again but pause it when the assaulter’s face was clearly in shot. He did as was asked._

_Wonwoo eyes darted between his blonde friend and the monitor. His jaw tightening. **Does Kwon know something?** But how? _

_Soonyoung sighed, his blonde head shaking slightly. A hand on his shoulder caused him to take his vision from the screen, the hand belonged to Junhui who was looking at him with inquisitive eyes._

_“What’s wrong, do you recognise him?”_

_Soonyoung nodded._

_“We used to dance together.”_  

 

 

“So let me get this straight,” Mingyu interrupted, pulling his long legs up onto the couch so he could cross them like Wonwoo. “The person who cut Junhui’s hand was an ex rival of Soonyoung’s from his competitive dancing days.”

Wonwoo nodded, secretly happy that the younger had been paying attention.

“I never would have guessed that.” He shook his head in awe.

“Me too.” Wonwoo agreed.

Mingyu squinted his eyes at the elder.

“What? Is there something on my face?”

Mingyu shook his head. “Be honest, you still thought it was me didn’t you.”

“Of course not.” He instantly denied.  

Mingyu smiled, though Wonwoo noticed it was a little sad and missed the younger’s normal playful sparkle.

“I really didn’t.” Wonwoo affirmed. He didn’t know why, but he felt the need to get this across to the younger.

“I believe you, hyung.”

**Lesson 4 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Talk to him about your day, he might be interested.**

 

 

Wonwoo was stood at his dresser checking his appearance in the mirror. He had on a black button down and black skinnys that hugged his thighs with chains hanging from the pockets. To finish the look, he wore white converses and styled his hair back and out of his face. To the right of him stood a pouting Mingyu who was looking up at him with puppy-dog-eyes from where his head lay on his folded arms on the dresser top.

“Why can’t I come?” he whined.

Wonwoo sighed, putting down the brush to address Mingyu’s question for the nth time that evening. “And how exactly would I introduce you, ‘Hey guys, this is my new roommate, Mingyu. He’s the serial killer that’s been terrorising our city for the past ten years and killed our best friend a couple months ago, he also killed your boyfriend’s short best friend and, oh yeah, he’s got Seungcheol next on his list.”

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “Okay Mr. Sarcastic, I get your point.” He said, moving so he now sat on Wonwoo’s bed. “I just wanted to go out with you.” Wonwoo frowned at the sad tone in the younger’s voice.

“I’ll go out with you another time, okay? I promise.” He said, immediately bringing a smile to Mingyu’s face.

“I shouldn’t have to beg him to go out with me.” He muttered to himself. “He should feel honoured to be seen with someone of my calibre in public.”

Wonwoo scoffed at the younger’s words before shaking his head and spraying himself with aftershave. Unknowingly, a smile had crept onto his face. 

 

 

Wonwoo payed the cab driver before stepping out onto the busy Saturday night street. His eyes trailed down the long queue of people beside the club before landing on a mop of blonde hair he knew belonged to Soonyoung. Wonwoo walked up to him, receiving loud greeting from Junhui, Soonyoung and an especially loud one from Chan (it seemed he’d started partying before coming.) Wonwoo chuckled at the obviously intoxicated younger.

“Where’s Seungcheol?” Chan slurred. “Hyung hasn’t been to visit me at work in a long time.” He pouted, stomping his feet angrily on the ground.

Wonwoo’s eyes widened. _Shit! This is it. I’m screwed._

“I texted him,” Junhui revealed. “but he said he couldn’t make it.”

Wonwoo released the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. _Of course, Mingyu said he wouldn’t harm him. You need to start trusting him more Wonwoo. You’re not going to be able to live comfortably if you keep doubting him._

“That’s a shame,” Soonyoung concluded.   

 

“Wonwoo.” Junhui tapped him, causing the raven head to focus on his friend and ignore the stupid argument Chan and Soonyoung were having about the choreo to Nine Muses’ new song _Glue_ and whether Chan had the hips to pull it off or not. “I can still come with you to your parents for Christmas, right?”

Junhui had no family in Korea, so had taken to spending Christmas with Wonwoo.

“Why do you ask me every year? The answer is always going to be yes, you know my mother thinks of you like you’re her son.”

The two best friends shared a smile before entering the club. 

 

The inside of the club was just as packed as the line would have you believe. It was to be expected, with it being one of the most popular clubs in Seoul and three days until Christmas, most people were in the holiday spirit and were out partying and getting drunk.

Soonyoung had secured them a private booth with bottle service on the second floor, which had a balcony that stood over the dance floor. Wonwoo didn’t know why, but on that particular night getting lost in the crowd of dancing people really appealed to him.

So that’s exactly what he did.

Wonwoo doesn’t remember much from that night. It was kind of just a mess of flashing lights, loud music, smoke and heat. He did remember two things though, being dumped from someone’s back onto his bed and angry Chinese muttering.

His second memory was of his shirt being removed, his pants being unbuckled and a flash of brown hair.

**Lesson 5 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Go partying with friends to keep you out of the house.**


	18. Life lesson 6

“Why can’t I come?” Mingyu whined, standing in front of the TV so Wonwoo couldn’t see the _Danny Phantom_ episode he was trying to watch.

“Mingyu, please.” Wonwoo pleaded, gesturing for the younger to move out of the way but he only crossed his arms and stared back stubbornly.

Wonwoo sighed, pausing the TV so he didn’t miss anything whilst Mingyu carried out his protest.

It was the 23rd of December and the next day Wonwoo would be leaving to stay with his family for a couple days, much to Mingyu’s displeasure. The younger didn’t understand why the elder refused to take him with him. Every time he suggested it Wonwoo would say something about his family not wanting outsiders there during family time to which Mingyu would quickly point out that Junhui wasn’t a Jeon. ‘Maybe so, but at least he’s not a killer’ would be Wonwoo’s reply, if he was braver.

“Mingyu, we’re not having this discussion again.”

The younger said nothing, but he refused to move from in front of the TV. _It’s like dealing with a child_ , Wonwoo thought as he glared at him, as if he believed that maybe if he looked ferocious enough he might actually scare or look like a threat to the younger. “You need to leave the house today.”

That got Mingyu’s attention, his arms falling to his side as he stared open mouthed at the elder before quickly regaining his composure. The playful Mingyu that Wonwoo had grown used to was gone. Instead, standing in his place was the guy with the dark and dreadful aura that left Wonwoo frozen in his seat, struggling to swallow as if invisible hands were constricting his throat. Mingyu’s voice was low and menacing when he said, “What are you talking about, have you forgotten our conditions already?”

Wonwoo felt like he could barely move but somehow managed to shake his head. “I’m not ending our agreement.” He forced out. “It’s just that we’re leaving early in the morning and if Junhui catches you here it will be difficult to explain.”

Mingyu tilted his head. Wonwoo could see his jaw clench and unclench beneath his skin and his fingers twitch as if he were fighting to stop them from forming fists. “And where am I supposed to go? Why are you always putting Junhui first?” Mingyu scoffed before his face twisted into a mean smirk. “Are you two fucking? Is that what it is? I wouldn’t be surprised; he’s cute, got a nice body, he dances so he probably knows how to use it. You know, I heard rumours that you used to put out for Joshua, maybe now that he’s gone your so called ‘best friend’ decided to make a move and you let him. Is that it, Wonwoo? Is that why you’re always coming home so late?”

Wonwoo trembled as the poison laced words filled his ears. _Why is he being so nasty?_ “Where did you stay before coming here?” Wonwoo asked, ignoring his comments about his best friends.

“This is my home!” Mingyu roared, kicking over the coffee table with such force that one of the legs broke. Wonwoo flinched at the sound of the wood snapping, his body trembling with fear as Mingyu walked past him to the front door. 

With a hand on the doorknob, he stopped. Turning his head slightly towards Wonwoo but not enough so that the elder could see his face, he said, “I’m not happy about this.”

The sound of the door slamming echoed, in the apartment.

He wasn’t sure when, but at some point he had started crying and like a binge drinker in a bar, now that he’d started, he couldn’t stop.

Wonwoo didn’t move from the sofa all night, even quashing the urge to pee or eat when it came, and eventually fell asleep there.  

 

 

It was Junhui’s not so gentle nudging that woke Wonwoo up.

“Dude, did you really fall asleep on the sofa? That’s bad for your back.” He lectured as Wonwoo sat up and rubbed the remnants of sleep from his eyes.

 _Junhui? Where’s Mingyu?_ Wonwoo’s fuzzy mind tried to make sense of what was going on, even as he was pushed into the bathroom and told he had five minutes. 

 

The pair were sat beside each other on a train to Changwon, Wonwoo’s home town. By car, the journey would have taken over four hours and Wonwoo refused to make his friend drive for that long, so the train it was. Junhui was talking animatedly about something but Wonwoo was paying no attention to him, he was otherwise preoccupied.

 _If I was still on the sofa, then that means Mingyu didn’t come home last night._ Even though that’s what Wonwoo had wanted of him and the not so great way that conversation had occurred, he couldn’t help but be worried about the younger. _Did he stay at a friend’s house? Did he eat well?_ He had been so angry when he’d left. Unknowingly, Wonwoo sighed deeply.

“Dude, are you okay?” Junhui’s sudden question woke him from his pondering and he turned to his brown haired friend that was frowning at him. “You keep sighing, have you even been listening to a word I was saying?”

Wonwoo smiled softly, “I’m sorry. I’m still a little tired.”

Junhui tutted. “Why didn’t you say so? Sleep, sleep.” He fussed whilst throwing a blanket over the younger. “Idiot.” He mumbled before staring out the window and watching the scenery. 

 

 

“Mummy!” Wonwoo squealed, dropping his bag to practically run into his mother’s arms.

“My baby.” She cooed, rocking their bodies side to side. Both were wearing face splitting grins. “It’s been too long since I last saw you,” she whispered into his hair. “And Junhui.” She finally addressed the Chinese man who had been waiting, moving past Wonwoo to give the other a just as enthusiastic hug. “Wasn’t your hair red?” she stepped back to peer up at the tall man who smiled sheepishly.

He ran a hand through his hair.  “It was; it’s washed out now so it just looks brown.”

The two friends entered the home and greeted Wonwoo’s dad and younger brother Jeon Bohyuk, who were sat in the living room. The rest of the day was spent by them helping Mrs. Jeon in the kitchen. 

 

Wonwoo glanced at his friend as he started snickering. “What?”

“I never grow tired of seeing your room. It’s so… I don’t know how to describe it.” Wonwoo’s old room hadn’t changed much from his teenage days, he only ever used it when he came to visit (which wasn’t as often as he’d like to) and as such, was still very much covered in posters of his teenage idols.

“Shut up and be happy that I’m letting you sleep in here.”

“Your mum would disown you if you made me do otherwise.” He countered, sticking out his tongue before rolling out his futon.

Wonwoo stuck out his tongue too before climbing into his bed and switching off the bedside lamp.

Junhui wished him a good night as the room was plunged into darkness.  

 

In Wonwoo’s dream he was laughing giddily as he bounced on the world’s biggest bouncy castle. He felt carefree as one particularly high bounce left him floating in the clouds.  

But of course it was too good to be true.

The bouncing sensation that had left him feeling light-hearted in his imagination was caused by his brother jumping up and down on his bed yelling about the fact that it was Christmas.

“Oh my god,” Wonwoo groaned in his thick and deep sleep voice, “Are you five or are you 25? Act your God damn age!” Bohyuk only stuck his tongue out, not stopping or realising that his antics had woken Junhui up too. Wonwoo noticed, however, and begged him to save him. A minute later Wonwoo was considering, getting new family as both his brother and his best friend were a few jumps away from breaking his old bed whilst his mother and father laughed on the side-lines. 

 

As always, the Jeons started off the Christmas day by opening their presents. Wonwoo had put his new salary to good use and had really splashed out on presents this year. It was one of the only things Wonwoo wanted in life really, to provide for his parents who had worked so hard to give him and his brother everything they needed. When his mother had cried it had brought a smile to his face because they were tears of happiness.

Present opening, was followed by Christmas dinner that Mrs. Jeon and her little (actually, they’re quite tall) helpers prepared. Gathered around the wooden table, so full of food there was almost no space to put their plates, they ate and laughed and joked and had a good time because that’s what Christmas was about. After eating, Bohyuk washed up whilst the others relaxed and watched one of the movies that was playing on every channel. With food in their stomachs, they were all feeling quite sluggish but somehow found the energy for karaoke and drinking. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jeon were the first to retire, siting their old age as the reason.

Bohyuk was next, leaving the two best friends sat on the living room floor eating the leftover cake from earlier. Around them lay several empty green bottles. Junhui, with reddened cheeks, was laying his head on Wonwoo’s lap as he blindly dug at the cake beside him and stuffed it into his mouth.

“I know I say this every year, but thank you so much for letting me spend Christmas with your family.” He said with a mouth full of cake which resulted in him spraying crumbs everywhere.

“Yah, are you a baby?” Wonwoo slurred as he slapped the crumbs off Jun’s cheeks. “And you don’t need to thank me, you idiot.” _Junhui’s too nice, someone will take advantage of him if he continues like this._

“No seriously. I must be a hassle, but you guys, you don’t care and are just like ‘come, come my child’.” He did a poor imitation of the Gyeongsang dialect that left them both wheezing with laughter. _He’s so cute._

 Wonwoo froze. Why did that thought sound familiar?

_He’s cute, got a nice body._

Why was what Mingyu said suddenly coming back to him now?

_He isn’t wrong though._

_Junhui’s so nice to me. He’s always been nice to me. Why’s he always nice to me?_

Wonwoo had **never** doubted his friendship with Junhui before but for some reason what Mingyu had said kept playing over and over in his drunken mind.

**Are you two fucking?**

**Decided to make a move on you and let him.**

_No. That’s not what’s happening._

He looked down at his best friend who stared back up at him with eyes sparkling with innocence. Junhui still had frosting smeared on the corner of his lips.

**Are you two fucking?**

**I wouldn’t be surprised.**

Wonwoo reached his hand to wipe it off.

**You two fucking….**

**Move on you and you let him…**

He wiped the frosting with his thumb but his hand stayed on the other’s cheek.

“Wonwoo?”

_Junhui’s so pure. Untainted._

**Fucking…**

**Let him…**

Wonwoo closed his eyes and leant in.

_Hhmm, they’re softer than I thought they’d be._

**Lesson 6 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Maybe.... don't kiss your best friend.**


	19. Life lesson 7

Soft.

Wonwoo thought Junhui’s lips were very soft.

He found it funny, it was something he’d never thought of before, never once considered but it was good to know. He leant further down, pressing his lips harder against Jun’s cushions.

It wasn’t unpleasant, kissing Junhui. Even when their lips parted and the strong taste of liquor passed between them. It may have only been a few seconds, but to their drunken minds everything was much slower.

“Wait,” Jun whispered, pressing his palm to Wonwoo’s chest. “You’re drunk. I’m drunk. Stop now before it gets dangerous.”

Wonwoo couldn’t stop the bitter chuckle that left his mouth. “Even when intoxicated you’re too nice.” _Mingyu was wrong. You’re too nice to make a move on me even if you wanted to, which I doubt._ Wonwoo rose, and Junhui moved to accommodate him, watching with eyes impossible to see in the dark. Who knew what they were saying? Did he regret what they’d just done? Or feel violated by Wonwoo? Maybe like Mingyu thought he would, he enjoyed it? Wonwoo’s face scrunched up as if just having these thoughts was enough to cause him physical pain.

Stumbling, the raven head shrugged on a coat hanging by the door which his slim frame swam in so he assumed it was his dad’s, and grabbed the keys in the bowl, leaving without a word.  

 

He ended up in the park down the road from his house. It was a modest park, with only one swing set, a slide and a seesaw. Regardless of its small size, Wonwoo had happy memories of playing there with Bohyuk and the other kids in the neighbourhood when he was younger which brought a smile to his face. Currently, he was lazily swinging on the old swings which somehow managed to take his weight.

“You fucked up.” Wonwoo spoke into the cold and bitter night air. “You’ll be lucky if you get back and he doesn’t punch you.”

Then he sighed, looking down at his feet kicking in front of him. “You’ll be lucky if he still talks to you.” He shook his head. _Of course he’ll still talk to you, this is Junhui we’re talking about._

Wonwoo groaned as he dug his heels into the floor, bringing himself to a harsh stop. “Why the fuck did I do that?” He seriously couldn’t comprehend what possessed him to do it. It was like an invisible puppeteer had taken control of his body and like a magnet, the moment he saw Junhui’s lips he was unexplainably drawn to them.

Why?

Why?

Why, did he kiss his best friend?

He blamed Mingyu.

Mingyu had planted the seed in his head and was it Wonwoo’s fault if it grew and blossomed into drunken curiosity?

 

When Wonwoo had returned home, at the same time that the black sky had started to lighten, he found Junhui asleep on the futon.

_Maybe, it’s better like this._

 

 

Wonwoo woke up with a wicked headache. He didn’t know why, he’d drunken more in the past and been fine, maybe it was punishment for his stupid actions the previous night. _It’s fine. I deserve this._

When he’d turned his phone on, he’d been surprised to see that it was early afternoon. Why hadn’t he been woken up? Dressed in only his boxers, an old t-shirt and black messy bed hair, Wonwoo shuffled into the living room, still barely able to open one eye, where his family sat watching another movie.

“Why didn’t anyone wake me up?” he whined, plopping down on the empty one-seater by the tree.

“Junhui said that you went to bed very late last night, so we left you to sleep.” Mrs. Jeon explained.

 _He did?_ Wonwoo’s eyes were fully open now as he looked at the brunette sat beside his brother on the floor who refused to meet his eyes, instead he continued to speak to Bohyuk. _Had he been awake when I came home?_ Wonwoo smiled bitterly. _Even when he’s mad at me, he still takes care of me._  

 

Later, the family had decided to have another round of karaoke before Wonwoo and Junhui had to leave back to Seoul. Bohyuk was currently singing a passionate rendition of SHINee’s _Why So Serious?_ When the screen suddenly cut black.

“NOOOO!!!” Bohyuk screamed, dropping to his knees in anguish. 

“Stop being so dramatic,” Wonwoo pushed him over with his feet.

“Wonwoo, be a dear and fix it please.” His mother said.

“Aren’t you some kind of computer genius?” His father added.

Wonwoo’s lips pulled into a playful frown, “Don’t exaggerate, Dad.” He complained, but still got up to do what he was told. Ten minutes later, he’d fixed it with his brother repeatedly telling him that he was his hero. With his family’s antics Wonwoo almost forgot about the riff between him and Junhui.

Almost…

Because his family wouldn’t be following him back to Seoul. 

 

 

On the train there was nothing to distract from the uncomfortable silence between the two who would usually get on like a house on fire. They were sat opposite each other but it felt like they were worlds apart. Junhui’s face was blank, as he detachedly watched the night view of Korean countryside blur together. Wonwoo, on the other hand, was unable to focus on any one thing for too long. His eyes darting as he played with his fingers on the table and his right leg shook uncontrollably.  

_Was this Mingyu’s intention? To cause this negative riff between us. Like always, I played right into his hand, didn’t I?_

“I’m not mad at you.”

Wonwoo’s eyes flicked up at the sound of the other’s voice. He wasn’t imagining things, right? Junhui was talking to him.

“I’m not mad at you.” He repeated, having mistaken the other’s silence as him having not heard him.

“You’re not?” Wonwoo timidly replied. “You have every right to be.”

Junhui looked as if he were pondering it for a second and Wonwoo suddenly wondered what his point of view was. From Wonwoo’s position it was clear; he had fucked up and it was Mingyu’s fault, but Junhui didn’t have a Mingyu, so how must he have interpreted what happened? Jun shook his head before saying, “No. I’m still not mad. Plus, I could have stopped you sooner.”

Wonwoo screwed up his face as if eating a bitter lemon, there was still an unpleasant taste in his mouth as if he were missing something or still not okay with the way things were.

“Wonwoo,” Junhui placed his hands over Wonwoo’s fidgeting ones and forced him to hold his gaze. “We’re fine, I’ve forgotten about it already.”

He smiled and Wonwoo finally got to read the emotions in his eyes that he couldn’t in the dark.

 _Ah_ , he concluded. 

 

 

The door beeped as Wonwoo typed in the passcode and entered into his darkened apartment. No Mingyu waiting on the couch. He flipped the light switch on. The table was still broken. Mingyu had clearly not come back here.

He sighed. Was he disappointed? Shouldn’t he be happy that the serial killer had decided to leave him alone?

It might be a good thing that Mingyu wasn’t home right now. Wonwoo wasn’t particularly happy with him at the moment and who knew if he’d be able to control what he said when he saw him or what consequences that would mean for Seungcheol.

Kicking off his shoes and dumping his bag right by the door, Wonwoo headed straight for the shower. This had been his most tiring Christmas yet. His body was drained and he was sure he was going to catch a cold from staying out in the park all night. Wonwoo turned on the shower, he didn’t even flinch anymore when the hot discoloured water hit his pale skin. He’d grown used to it.  

 

The next morning, Wonwoo was stuck with nothing to do. He was still on holiday and with no Mingyu around to entertain him he ended up doing what he usually did on a day off: watching cartoons in his oversized jumper, under a mountain of blankets and a mug of hot chocolate in hand. 

At 2pm, Wonwoo was startled by the sound of the keypad beeping before the click of the door opening. He watched as Mingyu popped his head through the gap, a wide smile showing off his sharp canines before coming in the rest of the way and revealing the load of plastic bags he had in his hands. Wonwoo didn’t like to admit it, but he was kind of glad to see him. 

Before he was even properly off the couch, Mingyu was on him smothering him in a tight hug.

“Wonwoo!” He cried. “I missed you so much. I’m so so sorry. I didn’t mean anything, I swear. I was just being petty and jealous.” He confessed into the elder’s black hair.

“It’s okay Mingyu, I forgive you.”

Mingyu’s head shot up so he could look the elder right in the face. “Really?” He looked doubtful. And he was kind of right to. Up until the moment he’d walked through the door, Wonwoo had been ready to tear him a new one but at the sight of the younger’s smile all his anger had melted away like candle wax because he’d missed him.

Wonwoo had missed Mingyu too.

He smiled back at the younger. “Yes, I forgive you.”

“That’s great!” He cheered. “Especially because I have a surprise for you. Aren’t you curious about the white bags?” Wonwoo nodded. “Because we couldn’t have Christmas dinner together on the 25th, we’re going to have a belated one. People say there’s nothing more attractive than a man who cooks, so imagine how attractive I -the most charismatic, bewitching, so gorgeous I should be a deity, person currently walking this earth- will look like. You will fall for me without a doubt.

Wonwoo must admit, watching Mingyu prance around the kitchen in an apron whilst singing along to B1A4’s _What’s going on?_ was strangely captivating… in a ‘I’m going to pee myself laughing kind of way’.  

 **Lesson 7 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: If you have an argument, it helps if they’re a great cook.**  


	20. Life lesson 8-9

Mingyu had started a new habit and Wonwoo wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

He had taken to clinging to Wonwoo like a koala. His long frame was constantly attached to Wonwoo’s back causing the elder to have to shuffle awkwardly everywhere. Even when they were sat down, like they were now, Mingyu had his legs locked around Wonwoo’s waist and was huddled into his side with his brown hair tickling the elder’s neck from where his head was resting on his shoulder. Whenever Wonwoo asked him what he was doing he’d say it was because it was cold and that they should huddle together like penguins to keep warm. Putting aside the fact that it was hard to carry around his extra weight, Wonwoo was having problems dealing with the reaction having Mingyu so close was having on him.

It was strange. Where ever the younger would touch him would leave a trail of heat like fire and Wonwoo found himself being perpetually hot and red faced. He wasn’t stupid. He knew what was happening. But he didn’t want to stop it. It was uncomfortable as fuck but he couldn’t bring himself to tell the younger to stop or rather he didn’t want to.

They were binge watching _American Dragon_ -because Wonwoo couldn’t understand how Mingyu had never seen an episode- on the laptop.

Wonwoo was in the midst of changing to the next episode whilst Mingyu topped up their hot coco when one of those annoying click bait advertisements caught his attention. Without thinking about it (because it could be a virus or a porn site), he moved the mouse over and clicked.

“Here you go. Be careful, it’s hot” Mingyu said as he handed the steaming hot fresh mug of hot chocolate to Wonwoo who blindly took it. Mingyu frowned. Something wasn’t right. Wonwoo had been smiling happily before he left but now the elder was mute and still, a blank look on his face. He followed his line of sight and… _oh_.

Mingyu slowly sat down beside the businessman, a considerably larger amount of space separating them than before when they had been sharing a blanket. “Wonwoo,” he tentatively said, testing the waters.

Wonwoo said nothing.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu whined, pushing the elder’s thigh. “Talk to me. Please.”

“I only had one condition, Mingyu. How am I supposed to trust you like you want me to when you couldn’t even stick to that?”

The younger’s head immediately fell in shame.

“Did this happen whilst I was gone?”

It was Mingyu’s turn to remain silent. 

“Mingyu…” The elder looked at him from the corner of his eye. “I asked you a question, what happened?”

“You have to promise not to get mad.”

“I think I’m doing very good so far.” Wonwoo’s voice was tight, like his vocal chords were being pulled like a piece of elastic.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu pouted and took the mug from the elder’s hand, put it on the floor (the table was still broken) and took his hands within his, forcing him to look at him. “You’re mad. Don’t lie to me.”

Wonwoo sighed, his shoulders falling like the tension in his body had been uncoiled. “I’m not mad, I just want to understand what happened. You were doing so well.”

“Well…”

 

 

_Mingyu stormed down the street. The cold wind nipped at his skin but he didn’t care. He was burning with rage._

_How dare Wonwoo treat him like he was nothing and kick him out of ~~his~~ their home? And for Wen Junhui. Bloody Wen Junhui! It was always Wen Junhui. Whenever Wonwoo was going out and he couldn’t go, it was because he was going Junhui. Like, he understood that Junhui was his best friend and everything but damn _

 

“Mingyu…” Wonwoo warned. “You’re getting off topic.”

The younger rolled his eyes but continued nonetheless.

 

_Somehow, and Mingyu wasn’t sure how, he ended up at a studio downtown._

 

“Howon’s studio?” Wonwoo interjected.

“You want me to continue but you keep interrupting me. Are you **that** eager to find out what happened?” Mingyu teased, leaning in to peer at the red-faced older man. “My dear Wonwoo, I think I’ve corrupted you.” He commented, an excited glint to his amused eyes at the way Wonwoo spluttered like a teenager who’d been caught touching himself because the idea that he actually **wanted** to hear what Mingyu had to say was absurd. Absolutely absurd.

Mingyu smirked with satisfaction then continued. 

 

_Mingyu ended up at a studio downtown and for reasons unbeknownst to him, felt compelled to go inside, it was like he was being lead in by a leash. When he walked in, the place looked like a rundown ghost town. There was no one at the reception. The carpeted floor which probably used to be purple was so caked with trodden in filth it looked brown. Cracks ran in the plaster of the walls and the few seats there looked like they’d seen better days. Mingyu advanced forwards. A broken sign that read I---N-TE in silver lettering hung above a room that looked like it might be an office. Mingyu knocked on the door but there was no answer._

_Why had he been drawn here? The place was practically abandoned._

_However, just as he was thinking this, the place suddenly shook with loud base. Curiosity peaked, Mingyu followed the sound up a narrow stairwell to the right of the waiting room. When he reached the top of the creaky staircase, Mingyu came face to face with a glass door, on the other side of it was what appeared to be a dance studio with one inhabitant._

_Mingyu tried the handle but it was locked, so rather than taking that as a sign to leave, he knocked on the door but the dancer’s music was too loud for it to be heard._

_So he patiently waited._

_Until the dancer noticed him in the mirror he was dancing before and paused his music, moving to the door to unlock it for Mingyu. He opened it and Mingyu put on his best smile, stepping a foot forward to go in but the dancer stayed stubbornly in the doorway, leaning against it with folded arms._

_“Can I help you?” He questioned, a thick eyebrow raised._

_“That’s what I’m wondering.” Mingyu perplexed. “What is this place? Who are you?”_

_The dancer sighed as if he’d rather be doing anything but having this conversation right now. “This is a dance studio or at least used to be.” He spoke slowly as if he were talking to a child. “My name is Lee Howon.”_

_“What did you mean ‘used to be’?”_

_“This place use to be really popular.” Mingyu doubted that. “But we’re going out of business because all my students moved to a fancy Uni class taught by some blonde dude who’s not better than me at all so I have no idea what they were thinking.” He realised he was getting off track.  “So if you’re done acting like an inquisitive 5-year-old, I’d appreciate it if you left me alone.” The dancer went to shut the door but Mingyu jammed his foot in the way._

_“I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”_

_“Howon. Lee Howon.”_

_A smirk spread across Mingyu’s face. **That’s what I thought he said.**_

 

_It took twenty minutes for Howon to come to._

_“Oh good, you’re awake.” Mingyu smiled cheerily from his cross legged position against the mirror. “I was beginning to think I’d hit you too hard.”_

_Howon’s foggy mind tried to make sense of what was happening but the room was spinning too much, his vision tainted with red. Then he suddenly remembered that asshole from earlier. That same asshole who had the audacity to be sat there smiling like he was watching a comedy show. Like a bull at a bull fight he saw red and charged._

_Only he couldn’t charge._

_He was tied to one of the chairs from downstairs._

_“What the fuck?” He mumbled, tugging at his restraints._

_“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”_

_His glare turned to the brunette who was still sat watching him with amused eyes. **He did this.**_ “ _You fucker!” He yelled, now pulling with such unbridled fury that his chair ended up tipping over and he was left squirming on the floor like fish out of water._

_Mingyu laughed until he was red in the face. Standing up to push the chair back upright using his foot, he then bent down to Howon’s level. “I told you not to do that.”_

_“Fuck you.” Howon spat, literally, in Mingyu’s face._

_He stood back up, wiping the saliva from his face with the back of his hand. “And I **really** wouldn’t have done that if I were you.” In a flash, Mingyu had sent his foot into Howon’s face, the sound of the impact echoing in the room as Howon and the chair flew backwards. _

_Leisurely, Mingyu strolled over to where they had landed, pulling them back upwards using Howon’s brown hair as a grip. The lower half of the dancer’s face was drowning in blood from his broken hose. Mingyu sighed with a shake of his head, “Look what you’ve made me do.”_

_Seeing as Howon had admitted that his business was more or less over, Mingyu was going to stage his death as a suicide. It was believable and required minimum effort on his part._

_But now, too much damage had been done and it would definitely be ruled as suspicious._

**_I might as well have some fun then._ **

 

 

_That was how Mingyu found himself sat in a chair opposite Howon who looked like the pain was starting to get to him._

_“I want to play a game.” He announced. “It’s called ‘how many cuts can Lee Howon take before he dies from blood loss’.”_

_“Don’t you think that title’s a bit long?”_

_Mingyu shrugged. “I do think you’re able to talk too much so should we start with your tongue.” Mingyu reached his hand forward, smirking as Howon leant himself back as if he could run away. With great satisfaction, Mingyu pried open his mouth and pulled out his tongue, the pink muscle wriggling as Howon tried desperately to remove it from his grip. **Idiot, he’s wasting energy.** Mingyu placed the tip of the knife to the tip of Howon’s tongue and pressed forward till the knife sat halfway. You’d be surprised by how easy a tongue is to slice. He released his grip, Howon screaming in pain as the blood flooded his mouth. _

_“You’re not as good at this as I thought you’d be.” He frowned. His nose turning up in displeasure. Maybe he just had to up the ante._

_He pulled open Howon’s shirt, the latter’s shoulders folded in to shield his body but with the way he was tied, he might as well have been spread eagle. Mingyu trailed the blade down the centre of Howon’s chest. He had a nice body and that gave Mingyu an idea._

_“You have a nice set of abs on you. Should I help define them?”_

_Understanding what Mingyu meant, Howon started to squirm again, a panicked sound squealing from his throat._

_Mingyu tutted. “Hold still would you.” He said before pressing the blade along the line down his abdomen, Howon howling_ _in agony as his tender flesh was cut open._

 

_Thirty minutes later, Howon’s chair was an island in an ocean of his blood. But he had surprised Mingyu, somehow he was still holding on._

_His lips moved as he tried to speak so Mingyu moved closer._

_“Why are you doing this?” He slurred, his tongue unable to form proper syllables._

_“Why?” Mingyu leant back again. “Because you hurt someone who is very important to someone I really care about. You cut his hand, I cut your whole body. That, and I really don’t like your attitude.” He smiled. Walking back to his bag he continued, “I think it was fate that lead me here today. And I did have fun, I really did. I wasn’t in the best of moods before I stumbled upon your quaint studio but you’ve really cheered me up so thanks for that but, you’re about to go and I really want to do one more thing with you.”_

_He turned, brandishing a bottle of lemon juice._

 

“You can stop now, I get the gist.” Wonwoo mumbled, blocking Mingyu’s mouth with his hand.

He hadn’t been there to see it this time but it was so easy to picture. Too easy.

“Are you okay, Wonwoo?” Mingyu’s concern was muffled by the hand still over his mouth. Wonwoo quickly removed it. “In my defence, you did ask me to find who hurt Junhui and I did that.”

Wonwoo looked at Mingyu with raised eyebrows. “Are you saying this is my fault?” He asked in disbelief. Mingyu quickly refuted it. He hadn’t meant to offend Wonwoo.

“So…” the younger awkwardly started when the silence between them grew too thick, “are you mad at me?”

“No.”

“Really?”

Wonwoo nodded. He really wasn’t, he’d grown numb to the antics of the Tooth Fairy a long time ago. Wordlessly, Wonwoo threw the blanket back over them and shuffled closer to Mingyu, much to the younger’s surprise.

He didn’t mean anything by it, he had to make space for one more person on the couch.

**Lesson 8 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: It’s okay if they relapse.**

 

 

Wonwoo’s ears perked up at the sound of the front door being closed.

“Is that Mingyu?” He asked the pink haired man reading over his shoulder, but of course he didn’t get an answer.

Moving his laptop off his lap and getting out his bed, he rushed to the open spaced living room and found Mingyu casually sitting on the couch like it wasn’t something to one at night.

You see, due to the younger’s insistent whining, Wonwoo had taken to bringing his work home so that he wasn’t out till late and Mingyu would stop bugging him about it so imagine his surprise when he got home that evening to find the apartment empty.

Wonwoo regarded the younger watching TV for a bit before moving so he was stood in front of it.

“Wonwoo, I think you’re beautiful and everything and as much as I’d love to stare at you for hours, I’m kind of in the middle of watching something so…”

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo said, ignoring the other’s flirting, “where have you been?”

“Out.”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes. _What kind of a reply was that? He had so much to say just now but all I get is ‘out’._

“Doing…” He pressed.

“Stuff.”

Wonwoo folded his arms, an unimpressed frown on his face.

“Murderous stuff?”

“Maybe.” Mingyu mumbled.

“You said if I allowed you to stay you wouldn’t do that anymore. Then you broke that with Howon and now another one.”

“Well, I was bored.” He countered. “You get to go to work every day and I’m just left here. Alone.”

“Then read a book, watch an anime. Don’t **kill** people.”

The younger shrugged. “You have your thing I have mine.”

Wonwoo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and, deciding that he didn’t have the energy to deal with him that night, retired back to his room where there was a new friend waiting for him in the form of a humanoid shadow with no distinct features. _I’m sorry. I don’t even know what you look like._

Mingyu was going to be the death of him.  

**Lesson 9 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: For the love of God, find them a better hobby.**

 


	21. Life lesson 10-11

Wonwoo, Soonyoung and Junhui had gone out for lunch. They had taken Wonwoo’s car to go to a café by the Han river that Jun and Wonwoo always went to during their time at uni.

Soonyoung was talking about the class he had held over the weekend whilst Junhui listened actively, but Wonwoo seemed to be distracted. The youngest of the three was definitely not paying attention and was giggling quietly to himself every minute or so.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Junhui suddenly asked causing the raven head to choke on his spit.

Wonwoo’s eyes flicked up from his phone for the first time since they’d sat down and he saw that both Junhui and Soonyoung were watching him closely. Subconsciously, Wonwoo brought his phone to his chest as if he were guarding a national treasure.

He replied with the subtlety of an elephant sneaking up on someone in an open field, “Why would you say that?”

“Because you’ve been glued to your phone since we sat down.” Soonyoung said.

“And you’re much happier nowadays.” Junhui added. “So,” the pair leaned in closer and Wonwoo felt like a rat being cornered by two wild cats, “tell us the truth or we’ll force it out of you.”

Wonwoo considered his options. They clearly realised that something was going on so to outright deny it would be stupid and as futile as pouring a bottle of water into the ocean to raise sea level. However, he couldn’t very well confess that he was harbouring a serial killer either. If he did that then Mingyu would be the least of his worries. Wonwoo decided on telling a half truth.

Swirling his tongue in his mouth like he was taste-tasting what it was he was about to say, he then said, “There’s… someone…”

They leaned in, their eyes showing how eager they were to hear more.

“Someone…” Soonyoung urged.

“Someone… who has an interest in me.”

“And do you have an interest in them?”

Wonwoo said nothing.

Junhui pushed back in his seat, his arms folded over his chest as he looked at the silent younger with narrowed eyes. “Is it Mingyu?”

_Oh my fucking God! What the fuck! My life is over, why does he know Mingyu? Have they met, has Mingyu tried to hurt him?_

His mental panic must have shown on his face because Jun laughed at how obvious his best friend was being, looking like a dieter whose hand had been caught in a cookie jar.

“Don’t have a heart attack, Wonwoo, I’ve just overheard you talking to him on the phone a couple times.”

Wonwoo’s shoulders fell as he breathed a sigh of relief. The temporary crisis was over.

Soonyoung’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the new info. “So Wonwoo seriously has a boyfriend!”

 _He’s not my boyfriend_ , Wonwoo was about to protest but it died in his throat. It would have been a wasted effort; they wouldn’t listen anyways.

“Wow,” Soonyoung marvelled, also falling back in his chair. “I never thought I’d see the day when Jeon Wonwoo got a boyfriend.” He remarked and Wonwoo wasn’t sure whether to be offended or not. The blonde turned to Junhui. “That means you’re the only single one left.”

“So” Jun responded defensively. “There’s nothing wrong with not being in a relationship.” He huffed, angrily sipping from his drink.

But Soonyoung was never one to take a hint. “Don’t you have a crush on someone,” he continued, “why don’t you just ask them out? You’re getting old you know.”

“Number 1, we’re the same age so if I’m getting old then so are you, boo, and number 2, I’d rather not.”

“But-”

“Leave him, Kwon.” Wonwoo cut in, receiving a small thankful smile from Jun.  

Soonyoung scrunched up his face, but did it nevertheless and the trio quickly finished their food before rushing back to work.

 

 

“How was work today?” Mingyu sang as he threw himself on the elder’s bed, Wonwoo frowning slightly as Chanyeol had been pushed out of the way. Mingyu shimmered up the bed on his tummy so he was perpendicular to Wonwoo, resting his head in his cupped hands and kicking his feet like a teenage girl waiting to hear from her crush.

“You should know how work was, you did nothing but text me through all of it.”

Mingyu grinned. “Is it that bad that I want to hear you say it, Wonwoo your voice is so sexy.”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes as he continued working on the spreadsheet for next week’s finance meeting. “Work was fine. I went to lunch with the guys and now they think you’re my boyfriend.”

Mingyu shot up like a jack-in-the-box on crack. “Seriously? Even Junhui?” Wonwoo could practically see his tail wagging at how overjoyed he was at the prospect.

Wonwoo glared at the younger, his lips pulling into an unimpressed line. “Could you please try to hide your jealousy of my **best friend**."

“You mean the best friend that thinks I’m your boyfriend?”

“Yes, the best friend who thinks you’re my boyfriend.” He replied though gritted teeth.

Mingyu grinned again and reached over Wonwoo to pick up his phone on the other side of him.

“What are you doing?”

Wonwoo got his reply when, faster than he can swerve one of Mingyu's sneezes, the younger pulled Wonwoo to his chest by throwing his arm over his shoulder and pressed his lips to the elder’s cheek, then he was gone.

There was a flash but Wonwoo was too stunned to do anything right now.

The moment the younger’s lips had touched his skin, a burning heat had spread through his body like wild fire leaving him tingling from his head to his toes.  _Oh my god! Did he really just do that?_ Wonwoo was in disbelief. His heart was beating faster than a freight train and he was struggling to breathe.

“YAH! MINGYU! HOW DARE YOU VIOLATE MY FACE!!” He yelled as he chased the cackling younger through the apartment.

“Have mercy, hyung” Mingyu begged as he dodged a pillow whilst leap frogging over the couch, “I just wanted to set a new lock screen so they’d believe you.”

“Not good enough!”

“I’ll make you dinner.” Mingyu blurted with Wonwoo’s fist an inch from his face. “Cheeseburgers. I’ll make you cheeseburgers.”

A peaceful calm descended over the room as Wonwoo lowered his hand, a serene smile taking over his face.

“How nice of you, Mingyu.”

**Lesson 10 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: It helps if they’re a sweetheart.**

 

Junhui and Wonwoo were sprawled out on the couch. It was a Saturday and uncharacteristically warm for January. The pair were supposed to be working on a project for the advertising department but the heat was making them sluggish and unwilling to do anything but blink. Even opening the window had done nothing as it wasn’t a scorching heat but more the stuffy kind that made it hard to breathe.

“Hey Wonwoo,” Junhui called and the raven head hummed in response. “Where’s Seungcheol?”

Somehow Wonwoo found the energy to be shocked. He hadn’t been expecting that at all.

“He never hangs out with us anymore, he must be so busy. I can’t even see his usual mess around the place so I dread what his studio at uni must look like.”

_“Quick Wonwoo. You need to think quickly or you’re in deep shit.” Joshua hissed._

_“You think I don’t know that.” He hissed back._

“Know what?”

“Huh?” _Shit, I said that out loud._ “Erm… I was saying that I’m surprised you didn’t know that he’d moved out.”

“He what?” Junhui yelled, sitting up with wide eyes. “Why would I know that if neither of you told me?”

“Yeah, he wanted to move closer to campus because he was always staying there so late.” His voice was smooth, not cracking as he had expected it to. He had gotten too good at lying. Wonwoo supposed that he should feel bad, something akin to guilt for betraying his friend’s trust but…

Junhui nodded, accepting the explanation. “That makes sense, he’s always telling me he’s busy when I ask if he wants to go out with us. I feel bad for that hyung, he works too hard.” He pouted and Wonwoo was glad to be off the hook.

“Wait.” Jun suddenly said. “Then whose shoes are those by the door?”

_Damn Junhui. Why is he so attentive?_

“Are they Mingyu’s? Yah, did you kick Seungcheol out so you could move your boyfriend in?” He looked scandalised. “I don’t know what to say.”

“That’s not what happened.” And he wasn’t lying that time. Cheol was already gone when he came home and Mingyu had moved himself in. _Wait, did I just accept Jun labelling Mingyu as my boyfriend?_ “and Mingyu isn’t my boyfriend, he’s my roommate.”

“That makes sense.” Jun muttered, peaking Wonwoo’s interests.

“How come?”

“I couldn’t imagine you getting a boyfriend and not telling me. We’re best friends. We’ve always told each other everything.”

_Not everything._

And that went both ways.

“Well,” Junhui said, lying back down, “I hope he invites us over for a housewarming party soon.”

**Lesson 11 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Think of a credible explanation as to where your old roommate had gone.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never said, but comments would be appreciated ^^


	22. Life lesson 12-16

Mingyu and Wonwoo were lounging on the sofa on a Friday night. Mingyu had his head on the elder’s folded legs and the rest of his long body stretched across the sofa.

Wonwoo nudged Mingyu with his foot, earning an irritated grunt from the younger. “Let's go out for dinner.”

Mingyu opened his left eye to look at the elder. “Are you being serious?” The businessman looked like he was being serious but Mingyu wasn’t sure. Wasn’t corporate workers trained in the art of deception, and he had certainly proved he was good at it.

Wonwoo nodded. “Of course I am.”

“Okay…” Mingyu said, sitting up slowly, “but are you sure?”

Wonwoo laughed at the uncertainty on the younger’s face. It was like when you put a treat on a dog’s nose and they’re not sure whether they’re supposed to eat it or not. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We’ve been living together for three months and you’ve never gone out in public with me before.” Mingyu deadpanned.

“Don’t exaggerate.” _Has it really been three months already?_

“You seriously haven’t!” he exclaimed. “Wonwoo, I understand you don’t want to make others jealous by showing off what a handsome boyfriend-”

“Roommate at best.”

“Boyfriend you have so I’m not mad at you.”

Wonwoo glared at the younger who returned his glare with a sunny smirk so bright the corners of Wonwoo’s lips were forced up into a smile he tried to hide with a scoff. It wasn’t voluntary, okay. Seeing Mingyu smile didn’t make him happy and it definitely didn’t affect the beating of his heart either.  

 

 

“Could you stop that,” Wonwoo hissed as the younger fiddled with the cuff of his suit jacket for the nth time. Wonwoo had taken him to a _really_ fancy restaurant so they had to dress up. Both wore black trousers but whilst Wonwoo was wearing a dark blue button down Mingyu wore a black one. Mingyu apologised with a pout as they entered.

The restaurant was busy but not to the point where it would make for an uncomfortable dining experience. _Larva sāwol_ , was one of the most popular restaurants in Seoul and impossible to get into without a reservation, but Wonwoo had managed to secure a place with a phone call placed twenty minutes’ prior. (Being an executive in one of the most influential companies in Korea had its perks.) Wonwoo walked in front as they approached the hostess’ podium. Both dipped their heads in greeting.

“My name is Jeon Wonwoo, I made a reservation for two in one of the window booths.” Mingyu was impressed by Wonwoo’s professional voice (and by impressed what he really meant was turned on as fuck, but that’s a problem for later). The hostess, dressed in a simple black dress, checked her list of names, running her pointer finger down until it stopped.

“Jeon Wonwoo.” She said to herself before looking up with a polite smile. “Are you sure you don’t want a different table? There’s-”

“I’m fine,” he interrupted with a polite smile of his own, “thank you.”

The hostess stepped out from behind the podium and guided them to their table. Placing the menus down, she bowed and then left after informing them that a server would be with them shortly. Wonwoo thanked her as she left before turning to Mingyu who was sat back in his chair, one long leg cockily crossed over the other and his hands clasped in his lap. His eyes narrowed at the younger’s body position.

_I think he’s about to say something stupid, Luhan declared._

_I think you’re right, Wonwoo replied._

“Nice to see you pulled out all the stops for our third date.”

 _I knew it._ Luhan and Wonwoo both rolled their eyes. “This isn’t a date Mingyu.”

“Yeah it is,” the younger insisted. “We’re out for dinner and you’re paying, sounds like a date to me.” He smirked and Wonwoo was already starting to regret this.

_Wait, did he say **third**? What the fuck? Why would he-_

Wonwoo looked at Mingyu with an incredulous expression and a series of pants and scoffs left him that caused a few looks to be sent his way. “Are you counting those times we met before? Joshua and Woozi?” He hissed, remembering to keep his voice down unless he wanted strange looks from the other patrons. He didn’t want to believe it but the fact that Mingyu wasn’t denying it was confirmation enough. Mingyu actually counted the times he had murdered Wonwoo’s friends in front of him as dates. He chuckled to himself. What did he expect? As nice, and as funny, and as innocent as the younger sometimes may seem he was still, at the end of the day, the Tooth Fairy, who was a very warped individual. Wonwoo must be going crazy because he wasn’t as outraged as he should have been. He just filed it under things to ignore for the time being.

He picked up the menu and began to look over his options, signalling that the conversation was over. Mingyu did the same, even though he was sulking.

The server, a beautiful young man whose name tag read Lee Sungjong, arrived at their table with a cloth over one arm, a notepad in the other and a pleasant but practiced smile on his face.

“Good evening, my name is Lee Sungjong and I’ll be your waiter for this evening,” he introduced. “What would you like to eat?”

Mingyu took a deep breath as he lowered his menu, he leant forward with his hands clasped on the table and a charming grin on his face. “I’d like a steak, extra-rare with a side of grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes.” His grin widened and Wonwoo felt a shiver run down his back. It was like the first moment they’d met, when Mingyu had pressed his face close enough for their noses to touch and smiled beneath the mask, except the mask wasn’t there anymore.

“What would you like to eat?” Sungjong’s soft voice broke through his trance and he tore his eyes from the younger to the waiter, blinking blankly a few times. “Your order? What would you like to eat?” he repeated, the pleasant smile becoming more obviously forced.

“Erm… I’ll have a steak too, well-done with just grilled vegetables.”

Sungjong nodded, collected the menu and left.

“What was that?” Wonwoo asked as soon as Sungjong was out of ear shot.

“What was what?” Mingyu replied, eyes looking elsewhere as he sipped from his glass of water but Wonwoo was having none of it.

“Don’t play dumb, why was you glaring at the waiter like that? You hid it behind that smile but I could feel it.”

Mingyu smirked, leaning across the table. “My dear Wonwoo, did you just admit to having feelings about me.”

“Not like that, dumbass.” Wonwoo scoffed.

“If you must know, I didn’t like the way he was smiling at you.”

_Again with the jealousy._

“My thoughts exactly, Josh.” Wonwoo mumbled.

“What did you say?”

“I said, I think you get jealous too easily.”

Mingyu considered it. “Maybe so, but when you look as good as me you have to be cautious of the haters.” He grinned.  

Mingyu was lucky the biting remark Wonwoo had planned to say was interrupted by the food being brought out with a pleasant (and totally not flirty so you better let go of that knife) smile and an 'enjoy your dinner'. 

 

It was twelve o’clock at night. The bill had been payed, conversation had flowed smoother than the Han river and Wonwoo will admit he had a really good time (except for when Mingyu ate the steak piece he had dropped on the floor, that was gross). It was fun going out with the brunette. He’d have to do it again, but somewhere less expensive otherwise Mingyu might think it was a date again and Wonwoo certainly couldn’t have that.

Dates meant more flirting than usual.

And he always reacted stupidly when that happened.

**Lesson 12 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Treat him to dinner.**

 

 

“Wonwooooooo~” Mingyu whined, jumping on the sofa to nuzzle the working man with his head. “I want to go for a walk.”

“You have legs, what’s stopping you?” Wonwoo replied as he continued working on his laptop but it only made the younger whine lowly and push his head further into the junction between Wonwoo’s jaw and his collar. Wonwoo bit his lip. His eyes flickering nervously towards the younger as he prayed that he couldn’t feel the way his pulse sped up.

“I want to go for a walk with you, Wonwoo.” Mingyu pouted, widening his brown orbs as he fluttered his eyelashes, sitting on his knees.

Wonwoo thought he looked like a puppy. A very cute puppy. And wonwoo wasn't fond of dogs so that was a very big compliment.

He sighed.

“Fine.” He gave in, saving his work before closing the laptop. If Mingyu wanted to go for walkies, then they’d go for walkies.

 

 

There was a park five minutes from the apartment. It wasn’t a big park. It was one of those inner city ones which was more a grassy open space, sandwiched between concrete and glass buildings, than a park. The park was rimmed by large oak trees with dark green leaves, there were a couple wooden benches, stone pathways and a small lake. It was nice and quiet, but that was to be expected seeing as it was after 10 at night.

The pair entered through the wrought iron gates dressed in their sweats and winter jackets. It had been getting warmer during the day but the nights were still in minus.

They didn’t speak much. Both content with just walking side by side as their shoulders brushed. Plus, the face masks they wore and the fact that their hoods were pulled tight didn’t make speech that audible anyway. They came to a bench beside the lake and sat down. Despite how wide the seat was, they were sat close enough for their knees to touch.

“Aren’t walks alone in the park romantic?” Mingyu said, turning so his feet were on the bench and he sat cross-legged facing the elder’s profile.

Wonwoo supposed, except they weren’t really alone. There was like seven other people with them and they were all giggling childishly no matter how many glares he shot at them. But that wasn’t Mingyu’s fault. Well…

He hummed as he watched the light reflect off the small ripples in the water. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am.” He replied and Wonwoo could hear the smirk in his voice. He rolled his eyes before they landed on the younger. Despite the fact that his face was shrouded in darkness, Wonwoo could see his brown eyes glittering. His breath hitched.

_Shit._

Mingyu took his hands and put them in his pocket to warm them.

_Shit. Shit._

He once again found himself praying that night that the younger couldn’t feel his pulse.

Wonwoo was caught off guard when Mingyu suddenly leaned closer till their lips were an inch apart, their frosty breaths fogging the space between them.

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

The raven head looked at the younger who had his eyes closed and did the same.

There was a shift of movement and Wonwoo braced himself, holding his breath. He felt the younger’s lips heat his forehead as it pressed softly.

When he opened his eyes again, Mingyu was back where he’d originally been, a smug smile on his handsome features. “Did you think I was going to kiss you, Wonwoo?” he teased. “I remember the ass beating I almost got the last time, so I didn’t risk it.”

_I wish you had._

“Don’t pout, Wonwoo.” He laughed before suddenly leaning in again. “By chance, are you disappointed? Do you want me to kiss you?”

_Yes._

“No.” Wonwoo scoffed, pushing the laughing brunette away from his face before standing up. “I’m going home. You can come if you want but I don’t really care.”

**Lesson 13 of how to live a serial killer in the house: Walks in the park are fun.**

 

 

Wonwoo was sat with his legs crossed on the sofa. He was wearing a soft light blue oversized jumper that covered his bare legs and circle rimmed glasses that dangled on his nose as he read last month’s employee reports.

“Wonwoo, what are you doing?” Mingyu asked as he came up behind the sofa, resting his chin beside Wonwoo’s ear.

“Working.” Was the elder’s simple reply.

“I can see that. But that’s not what you’re supposed to be doing. You said you’d help me dye my hair.”

Wonwoo’s mind flashed back to a conversation months ago when the younger was asking him about colours and he’d randomly pointed as he was in the middle of picking Chan a birthday gift.

Oh yeah.

He had said that hadn’t he.

 _Idiot._ Howon snickered and Wonwoo glared at him.

Putting down the document because it’s not like it could go anywhere so he might as well help him, Wonwoo stood up and followed the giddy and bouncing younger to the bathroom, a small smile on his face at how excited the taller was.

“I think we should use the sink.” Mingyu suggested. “I think there might be iron in the shower, we should talk to building maintenance about it.”

Wonwoo hummed in agreement as he read the instructions on the home dye kit. It looked doable.  

 

Five minutes later they were back in the bathroom. Wonwoo had changed into an old t-shirt and dragged a stool in for Mingyu to sit on. The latter was wrapped in a fluffy black towel and was kicking his legs as he waited for the elder, the excited smile still hadn’t left his face.

“Sit back.” Wonwoo commanded as he started to thread his fingers through the younger’s hair to un-knot it. Mingyu’s hair was very soft and Wonwoo found himself combing it for longer than was necessary, the younger giggling at the sensation of Wonwoo’s slim fingers massaging his scalp.

“You’re really good with your fingers, it makes me wonder what else you can do with them.” He purred, letting out a low moan when Wonwoo yanked on his strands as punishment.

“You’re not supposed to like it.” Wonwoo complained.

“What did you expect? I’m a freak.” He winked and Wonwoo rolled his eyes, turning to pick up the rubber gloves when really he was trying to hide his blush from the younger. He didn’t need to know how much his lewd noise had affected him. He tossed a tub of Vaseline to Mingyu and told him to coat his hairline with it. Mingyu took one look at the tub and smirked. “I didn’t know you’d come so prepared.”

“If you don’t shut up I’m going to gag you.”

“Please do.”

 _That’s it._ Wonwoo threw his hands in the air as he walked out the room that was becoming way too stuffy for him only to be stopped by the younger’s arms around his waist as he buried his face in the small of his back. “I’m sorry,” came his muffled apology. Wonwoo sighed but went back to the sink and started to mix the hair dye. 

 

Twenty minutes later and Mingyu’s hair was now covered in strong smelling chemicals.

“The box said you have to leave it in for 40 minutes.” Wonwoo said. “What should we do in the mean time?”

“Erm…” Mingyu thought about it, his face lighting up as he came to an idea. “Why don’t we watch a movie?”

That wasn’t a bad idea.

“We could watch _The Last Airbender_?”

That **was** a bad idea.

“I think I’d rather become one of your victims.”

 _"Are you sure about that?"_ Woozi said. (Somehow -because it’s hard to talk when you basically have no neck.)

Mingyu chuckled as he sat down. “You pick then.”

Wonwoo did just that, picking _Now You See Me_ because he felt a movie about disappearances and secrets was perfect.

The pair settled onto the sofa, Wonwoo’s legs were tucked under him and Mingyu’s arm was along the backrest. It was their natural sitting position. After setting a timer, they relaxed into each other and focused on the movie.

Or at least tried to but how was Wonwoo supposed to focus when the warm breaths Mingyu took kept fanning across the back of his neck. It was very distracting and served as a constant reminder of how close the younger was, how close they’d become. But Wonwoo didn’t mind; or rather, didn’t care. He no longer flinched whenever Mingyu moved or jumped when he heard his voice.

He’d become so comfortable around the other, it was something he never thought would happen but it had. And there was nothing he could do about it.

“Don’t you think you should pay more attention to the movie rather than staring at me.” Mingyu said, his eye never leaving the screen.

_Huh?_

He hadn’t even realised.

His cheeks burned with embarrassment and he tried to cover his face with his top because it was the closest he could get to crawling into a hole, only to have Mingyu tug it back down.

“Don’t. It’s cute.”

Mingyu adjusted his arms so it now rested over Wonwoo’s shoulders and gently coaxed the elder so his head was resting safely on his chest.

Wonwoo glanced up at the other but his eyes were trained on the TV.

The corners of his lips twitched as his cheeks continued to burn.

**Lesson 14 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Walks are fun, but movie dates are better.**

 

 

“Mingyu, I’m hungry” Wonwoo whined.

“Hi hungry, I’m hot stuff.” He grinned, receiving an unimpressed frown from Wonwoo.

“Hahaha,” he laughed sarcastically, “you could be the next Yoo Jae Suk.”

Mingyu gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his heart. “Babe, you flatter me.”

“Okay, but all joking aside, I’m actually really hungry.” Wonwoo pouted, his stomach grumbling to add extra punch to his point.

“Do you want me to make you something?” He suggested, threading his fingers through Wonwoo’s black hair from where his head was resting on his lap. “Oh my god Wonwoo, we have couple hair now.”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes (something he found himself doing often whenever Mingyu spoke) but there was no bite to it. Wonwoo also choose to ignore how domestic Mingyu asking him if he wanted him to make dinner was and how it left a pleasantly warm feeling in his stomach.

“I feel like going out. Not that your cooking isn’t great.” He quickly assured the younger.

“If we go out, you’re paying.”

“Cheapskate.” 

 

 

They ended up at a small burger joint tucked in a market downtown. Mingyu said it was because Wonwoo himself was the penny pincher but the elder said he was craving a cheeseburger and seeing as he was the one paying Mingyu had no say anyways.

The pair chose a table by the window but it was still tucked in the back of the space. When they’d walked in, Wonwoo’s stomach started kicking up a fuss again as the smell of sizzling meat and fries flooded his nose. Why was he so hungry? It was living with Mingyu, it took the energy out of him.

“I’ll order for us.” Wonwoo declared, all but running over to the till. The sooner he ordered, the sooner it would be made and the sooner it would be in his mouth.

Mingyu stared in awe as Wonwoo devoured the jumbo burger he’d ordered, wondering how someone as slim as him could eat like a beast who’d been starved for two years. The elder was so into his food he didn’t realise that most of it was ending up around his mouth. His messy eating was a stark contrast to how clean he was at home but like everything Wonwoo did, Mingyu found it cute, even when the juices from the meat dribbled down his chin.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Wonwoo asked between mouthfuls, a couple crumbs falling from his shiny lips but once again Mingyu only found it cute.

“With the way you’re eating, anyone would have thought I’d starved you.”

Wonwoo scowled at the younger but continued eating like a pig anyway.

 _He’s right you know,_ Joshua said, _you look like a baby._

 _Shouldn’t you try and make more of an effort in front of your crush,_ Chanyeol added.

 _He’s not my crush._ Wonwoo argued, but who was he kidding, he’d fallen harder than someone who’s heel had got stuck in mud.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu called and Wonwoo looked up from where he was hunched over the tray looking like Gollum. Mingyu was holding a tissue out for him. “Wipe your face. As sexy as you look right now, the staff are looking at you like you’re eating human meat. They’re very grossed out.” Begrudgingly, Wonwoo took the tissue and wiped his face. He was finished anyway.

“Hurry up.” He urged the younger, it was torture for him to watch Mingyu eat so slowly especially knowing he was doing it to get a rise out of him, if the teasing smile on his face was anything to go by.

“I don’t want to. I want to enjoy our date for as long as possible.”

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. “Date?”

“It’s no secret that I like you.”

“Oh really, I never noticed.”

“Hyuuunngggg~” Mingyu whined. “I’m being serious.”

“Hi being serious, I’m I want to go home.”

Mingyu put down his half eaten burger and grabbed Wonwoo’s still greasy hands. His gaze so intense Wonwoo lost the ability to speak.

“Please date me.”

“No.” and he regained it.

“Why?”

“I can think of hundreds of reasons and most of them involve blood.” Yet they were somehow eclipsed by how warm Mingyu’s hands were.

“Please.” He begged, his bottom lip jutting out. “I’ve only killed two, no wait, three people since moving in. I can be a good boy.”

Wonwoo chuckled. _So there was one I didn’t know about._

“If you say yes, then I promise not to kill... for as long as possible.” He’d mumbled that last part.

_Well, if it’s for the good of society then you have to take one for the team._

Like he didn’t want to say ‘yes’ anyway.

 **Lesson 15 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Sometimes you gotta take one for the team.**  

 

 

Wonwoo sighed happily as he relaxed into Mingyu’s side. The latter had his left arm thrown over Wonwoo’s shoulder and pulled him tighter into his warmth. They were watching _Chowder_. Wonwoo and Mingyu had been ‘dating’ for a month.

“Mingyu.”

The taller hummed in response.

“I have a question, please don’t get mad at me for asking it.”

Mingyu smiled softly, his attention finally drawn from the TV and to the man who was practically sat in his lap chewing nervously on his bottom lip. “Of course I won’t get mad, you can ask me anything.” He said whilst gently stroking the elder’s hair.

“What happened to you… to er…”

“Make you kill people?” he finished for him and the elder nodded. “Why? What do you think happened?” Mingyu raised an eyebrow, then chuckled when Wonwoo shrugged shyly. “Abuse? Physical or sexual? Bullying perhaps or maybe the loss of a loved figure like a parent?” He suggested for Wonwoo. “I’m sorry to disappoint you babe, but it’s not that complicated. To put it simply, I like it. I kill people because I like it. I get bored easily and it’s entertaining. Especially when you see the fight die in their eyes. There’s always this hope they **all** hold on to, for whatever reason, at the start, that maybe **just maybe** they can survive, make it out alive and see their loved ones again, hold them tightly and never let them go, appreciate all the small moments they never used to. The moment they realise that won’t happen is the best.” Mingyu finished his speech and glanced down at Wonwoo who was staring blankly at the TV. “What’s wrong, babe? Were you hoping I had some kind of traumatic event to mitigate the things I do?”

He leaned in closer, so that his lips were brushing the shell of Wonwoo’s ears, and whispered, “I wish I could put your guilty heart at ease, but I’m a psychopath. Plain and simple. I do it ‘cause I love it.”

Is it wrong that the shiver that went down his spine was most likely due to Mingyu’s hot breath fanning across his ear rather than his words?

Wonwoo looked at Mingyu then.

He’d been right, Wonwoo was disappointed that he didn’t have a more credible reason for why he did what he did or -if he’s being honest- does what he does. What distressed Wonwoo more was that when he’d finally looked at the younger and found his black eyes shining bright with excitement as he discussed his motives, not a fleck of remorse within them, he hadn’t been disgusted.

Why wasn’t he disgusted? Why wasn’t he packing a bag and escaping whilst he could?

“Then… Can I ask you something else?”

**Lesson 16 of how to live with as serial killer in the house: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you don’t like the answer.**

“What was your first kill?” 


	23. Life lesson 17-18

“What was your first kill?”

“My first?” Mingyu repeated with surprise. “You **want** to know what my first kill was?” Mingyu didn’t understand, the elder didn’t usually express such an interest in his activities.

Wonwoo considered it. Did he _really_ want to know? Why did he want to know? “Yeah,” he nodded. “I want to know as much as I can about you, you know a lot about me so it’s only fair.”

Mingyu shrugged. The elder had a point.

“It happened when I was younger…”

 

 

_The school was quiet as high school students were in their lessons. Well… most students were._

_A lone student was sat on the stone steps at the back of the school. Anyone looking at him would have thought he was dead, that’s how still he was. His brown hair fluttered softly in the light breeze, the only noticeable movement. If they were to move closer they would notice that his expression wasn’t as peaceful as his movements -or lack of- would suggest. His face was currently twisted into a scowl as he silently sucked in little breaths as if moving too much would hurt him. It probably would. Pinks and purples painted his face and there were flakes of dried blood around the lower half of his face._

_Something cold hit his lap causing him to open the eye that wasn’t swollen._

_“Hold this to your eye, it looks like Popeye’s arm.”_

_“Hilarious.” Mingyu deadpanned, as he picked up the ice pack and held it to his right eye before rearranging his position so he could see his best friend who’d sat down next to him, a judgemental frown pulling at his lips. Mingyu sighed. “Go on.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“You obviously have something to say, Ming, so just hurry up and say it.”_

_Xu Minghao was Mingyu’s best friend of three years. When he’d arrived from China at the start of High school, his limited Korean made it difficult for him to make friends, luckily for him, Mingyu the misfit didn’t have very many friends either so the two had naturally ended up together. Mingyu learning that despite their restricted ability to communicate Minghao actually had a lot of charms and Minghao learning that the school outcast really wasn’t as bad as everyone made out._

_Minghao made a face that screamed ‘can I be bothered’. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t told the elder already. “Look, I know it’s not your fault but you need to stop fighting before you get kicked out the school. In fact, it’s a wonder you haven’t been already.”_

_“So am I just supposed to stand there and let them belittle me?”_

_“Yes.”_

_Mingyu’s lips pursed into a pout but that hurt too much and caused him to grimace and Minghao to laugh at his pain._

_“Another plus would be you wouldn’t keep getting beaten up.”_

_“I landed in some good punches too.” He whined quietly, leaning his head against the stone wall._

_Minghao chuckled, patting the other on the back. “I’m sure you did.”_

 

_You see, Mingyu had a reputation for always fighting but he wasn’t lying when he’d said that they had started it because aside from being the school fighter he was also the school’s favourite victim. And it had always been that way. Most of the students in his high school were the same people from elementary and middle meaning there was no hiding the fact that he came from a poorer background. It may seem stupid and trivial to pick on someone for so long for something like that, but they were immature kids with nothing better to do. Somehow, in the last year, it had come out that Mingyu had a crush on Jennie Kim, a student who’d transferred around the same time as Minghao which only added fuel to their relentless tormenting._

_That was why he hadn’t been kicked out yet. He was only fighting back, and the school was scared that if they expelled him they’d be accused of favouritism because although this had been going on for many years, hardly any teachers did anything to stop it apart from occasionally giving out detentions._  

_Mingyu liked to act like it never really got to him but he was hurting a lot more than he showed. Even if he didn’t start off believing it, hearing how worthless you were day in and day out, he'd begun to think it was true. He must truly be worthless. And if he was this worthless then what was even the point in being there. Of course his mother always told him not to pay attention to the kids at school, that they were lying and he was as precious as gold, but she would say that. It was her job. Even gold could be brought easily these days. Minghao was the only person he trusted. The younger had never lied to him. He never had a reason to. And had always stuck up for him. That tall and cute Chinese kid had been his saviour and he didn’t even know it._

 

 

_It was winter and Mingyu was arriving late to school (as usual). He liked spending as little time as possible in that building. With gloved hands shoved in his pocket and earbuds lodged deeply in his ears, Mingyu waked into the school in the middle of lunch break and went looking for his best friend. Knowing Minghao, he was probably around the back waiting for him anyways. No one went back there besides the two of them, it was their un-official and private territory._

_Minghao wasn’t alone that day._

_Through the square glass window Mingyu could see two shapes: one was undoubtedly Minghao and the other was smaller, slender, female, yes female and blonde. There was only one blonde student in the school._

_Mingyu scoffed, before turning around and walking right back out._

 

_Minghao ran out of school that day. He had to find Mingyu and he had a pretty good idea of where he’d be._

 

_True to his expectations, he found Mingyu in the abandoned playground they used as their hangout place. His feet were hurting from running the whole way there and his cheeks stung from the cold wind slapping them. He came to a stop a couple feet from Mingyu, a panting mess. The former was stood leaning against the rusty pole of a swing set, his jacket lay abandoned on the frosty floor leaving him in only his uniform shirt and pants._

_Minghao walked towards him slowly with hands held up in surrender. He could see the anger in the other’s features, the betrayal. His eyes narrowed and glaring, nose and lips scrunched into a feral snarl. Minghao didn’t blame him. All he saw was his best friend kissing the girl he loved._

_“Let me explain.”_

_With every step he took forwards, Mingyu took one back as if his anger had formed an invisible barrier around Minghao, pushing him, stopping him from lashing at the younger._

_“It wasn’t me.”_

_He scoffed. “If that’s your explanation you’re gonna have to try harder.”_

_“She came on to me, I swear! I was just waiting for you in our spot and she came and confessed but I told her I didn’t like her because I don’t and I could never do that to you but she wouldn’t leave and when I tried to leave she blocked the door and kissed me. I did nothing, I would never do that to you, you know that.”_

_“I knew that,” he said, taking a step forward, “but now I’m not so sure.”_

_“Gyu!”_

_“You’re seriously trying to convince me that the hottest girl in our school basically threw herself at you and you did nothing, didn’t even enjoy it a little bit.”_

_Mingyu laughed._

**_Of course. Why would she want me? I’m just as worthless as they say, my own best friend doesn’t even see me as a threat._ **

_“I really didn’t! I would, could, never do that.”_

_“LIAR.” He snarled. The gap between them had now been closed and despite both their tall statures, Mingyu still towered over the other._

_He pushed him._

_Minghao stumbled back a bit._

_“I’m not gonna fight you.”_

_He looked exasperated._

_“Why? Am I not worth the effort?”_

_Another push._

_“I’m not gonna fight you, Gyu.”_

_“WHY NOT?” He shoved him this time, and Minghao ended up on the floor. “Do you really think so lowly of me?” Mingyu’s voice cracked, and for a second his vulnerability showed but the hard shell quickly came back. His eyes black. Like a demon had possessed him, Mingyu’s arm shot out, his hands finding purchase around Minghao’s slim neck._

_He squeezed._

_And Minghao’s irritated eyes became panicked. His hands frantically tried to pull at Mingyu’s as chocked cries of the latter’s name escaped his constricted throat._

_“Gyu.”_

_He pleaded._

_But Mingyu’s heart was blocked. Wrapped in chains of betrayal with no key to unlock it._

 

 

“I don’t remember hearing about a Xu Minghao as a Tooth Fairy victim.”

“Because he wasn’t a Tooth Fairy victim, he was Mingyu’s victim, my first and my last. The only one I regret.”

 _That’s sad,_ Wonwoo thought. He found it hard to imagine how he’d react if Junhui betrayed him. (It would probably be something a lot less violent though.) Wonwoo sighed, the atmosphere had become heavy and his boyfriend’s face solemn.

“What happened next?”

“Everyone was sad, he got buried and I never cared about anyone again.”

Wonwoo frowned. “But you care about me, right?”

**Lesson 17 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Ask him about his past, even if it scares you.**

 

 

“But you care about me, right?”

Mingyu smiled softly, pushing the corners of the elder’s lips up with his fingers so he wasn’t frowning anymore. “Of course I do.”

“Good.” He beamed, snuggling into Mingyu’s side as he pulled the taller’s arm tighter around him. “I’d kill you if I found out you were playing with me all this time.”

Mingyu chuckled. “I think I’m rubbing off on you.”

“Maybe.”

The pair fell into a comfortable silence.

“Can I ask another question?”

Mingyu raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so inquisitive today? You’re not wearing a wire, are you?” he joked.

Wonwoo shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Then,” Mingyu said, feeling a lot more relief than he showed, “what do you want to know?”

“Why me?”

Mingyu laughed. “I told you already, it’s cause you’re cute.”

Wonwoo glared at him, unimpressed. “Ming, I’m being serious.”

“So am I.”

Wonwoo stared at him blankly, the younger returning a playful one.

 _Okay,_ Wonwoo thought as he stood up from the couch to leave the younger to his own devices. If he wanted to play dumb, then he can play dumb.

“Fine.” Mingyu hung his head. “Hyung, I’ll tell you the truth.”

Wonwoo smiled to himself, threatening to walk out always worked.

He turned, a triumphant smile on his face, and sat back down next to Mingyu, the latter eyeing the older with a pout.

“I know what you’re doing, Wonwoo.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He replied with an innocent blink. Mingyu chuckled to himself at the other’s playfulness, it made him happy to see how much Wonwoo had warmed to him. Mingyu raised his arm, indicating that he wanted Wonwoo in them.

“Come and snuggle up for story time.” 

 

 

_Mingyu leant back with a satisfied smirk, a pair of bloodied pliers with a canine in its grip. It had put up a good fight but Mingyu always got what he wanted and right now, he wanted Joshua’s teeth. He’d seen the young CEO in magazines and thought, **wow, he’s gorgeous. I wonder what his smile would look like with no teeth.** Well… he was about to find out wasn’t he. _

_The CEO let out a pathetic whimper that made the younger laugh as the blood poured from his mouth._

_He stopped._

**_Was that a knock on the door?_ **

_Mingyu strained his ears to listen. He was sure he’d just heard a knock. No one was due to come up here so why the fuck was he being interrupted? But the muffled voice that came through the door conformed that, indeed, someone was there. And Joshua must have heard it too because he began to cry out, only stopping when Mingyu punched him in the gut. With a growl, he turned Joshua in his chair so his back was to the door and hid under the desk._

_A small slither of light streaked into the darkened room as the employee entered the room slowly, Mingyu could hear the nervousness in his steps. **Oh goody, another mouse to play with.**_

_“Erm… Mr. Hong?”_

_Oh._

_He had a nice voice, Mingyu wondered what it would sound like moaning in pain._

_“Joshua?”_

**_‘Joshua’._ ** _They were close enough to be on a first name basis? Mingyu wondered how close they were. A lover perhaps? A silent chuckle left his mouth. That would be great! He hadn’t killed a couple before._

_Mingyu rolled his eyes. The stupid fucker was still making noise._

_“Josh, are you okay?”_

**_Josh? Definitely a lover._ **

_The CEO’s protesting intensifying only confirmed his thought._

**_This is going to be fun._ **

_An evil smile on his face, he swivelled the axis of the office chair so Joshua was now facing lover boy. The elder’s feet started kicking as he rocked the chair in panic. Was his lover coming to help? Mingyu clapped his hands in glee. **This is too much. I need to see the look on his face.**_

_He pushed the chair back a bit so he could wriggle out from his hiding place. He looked at the outline of the man, head naturally cocking to the side as he waved at him. He couldn’t see him very well so he decided to get a closer look._

_Mingyu used his long legs to cross the room, the intruder’s features now appearing clearly._

**_Goddamn! He’s fine as fuck._ ** _Well he figured that the rich guys could get the hot guys if they wanted to. The suited employee, had ruffled jet black hair, small sharp eyes and pale skin. He was beautiful. Subconsciously, he leaned in closer till their noses were almost touching. He could feel the shorter’s breath that was being let out in small puffs through his mask. The mask hiding the smile that had stretched his own face. With a wink, Mingyu walked past him to switch on the light. So he could see his baby better._

_He was so happy he started whistling 4minute’s **What’s your name?** as he contemplated what to show his new obsession next.  _

 

“Okay, I really don’t want to hear about what you did to Josh. I was there. I remember.”

Joshua didn’t want to hear it either, the CEO was holding his hands to his ears.

The younger chuckled. “Alright then. I followed you after that to find out as much as I could about you.” Mingyu confessed.

“Are you seriously telling me that it was actually because you found me attractive?”

Mingyu rolled his eyes, head falling onto the back of the couch as he groaned, pushing his hair with his free hand. “Look, I don’t know if this is gonna come as a shock to you but you’re fucking gorgeous and sexy as hell. You’re the best looking guy on the planet, after me of course.”

It was Wonwoo’s turn to roll his eyes, but his face was still stretched by the grin he wore.

**Lesson 18 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: It’s okay to wonder why you. You may be pleasantly surprised.**


	24. Life lesson 19-21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the life lessons

Junhui strolled down the corridor, happily listening to Nine Muses’ _Wild_ as he made his way to Wonwoo’s apartment. He was so into the music that he didn’t notice the shape sat in front of the door until he walked into it.

 _What the fuck?_ He thought, pulling out his earbuds as the dishevelled boy rose to his feet.

“Hansol? What are you doing here?”

“Hello Junhui,” he greeted, his voice sounding scratched. “Where’s Wonwoo, I knocked on the door but no one answered?”

“He’s on a day trip with his new roommate, I only came to drop off some work for him.” Junhui explained.

“New roommate?” Hansol’s eyes bulged out from the bags beneath them in surprise, Junhui’s eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Yeah, he’s called Mingyu or something like that. Aren’t you best friend’s with Seungcheol, didn’t you know he moved out?”

“I haven’t spoken to him in over two months. I’m 90% sure he’s missing.”

It was then that the younger’s appearance made sense. Hansol’s brown hair looked unwashed and uncombed, clotting together from how greasy it was. His skin was pale and blotchy, a thin sheen of sweat covered him as if he’d been covered in a transparent slime. He clearly hadn’t slept much recently. Hansol had once been a beloved friend but right now, Junhui was finding it very hard to be sympathetic.

“Did it occur to you that maybe he doesn’t want to speak to you? I mean, you did kind of throw one of his closest friend’s under the bus. Do you know what Wonwoo went through because of you?”

Hansol hung his head in shame, gnawing at his bottom lip as he flooded with guilt. He hadn’t meant to cause Wonwoo any harm, he was just posting his opinion. He hadn’t really considered the consequences it could have.

“Even still,” he spoke quietly, “Seungcheol isn’t the type to just ignore you without saying why.”

Junhui blinked. “If you’re implying what I think you’re implying then you have ten seconds to get the fuck out of my face.” he said calmly, moving around Hansol and typing the pin in to open the door. Just before he closed it behind him he said, “and for the record, **I** spoke to him yesterday.” 

 

Wonwoo climbed over Mingyu to reach his phone that was ringing violently on the side. The couple were sat in a small coffee shop in Incheon.

“It’s Jun.” Wonwoo said before answering it. “Hey Jun!”

The other chuckled. “You sound happy.”

“Do I? Anyways, did you drop off your work?”

“Yeah, and that’s actually what I called you to talk about.”

Wonwoo’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why? Did you do something wrong?”

“No no no, the work’s fine,” he quickly assured. “It’s just that… Hansol was there looking for Seungcheol.”

“For Seungcheol?” he repeated. “Why would he be looking for Seungcheol, did something happen to him?” Wonwoo’s eyes quickly flashed to Mingyu sat opposite him.

“Well… according to Hansol they haven’t spoken to each other in months so he thinks something’s up.”

“Hansol hasn’t spoken to Seungcheol in months.” He said quietly. One of the two black shapes sat around the table started to take form, round hazel eyes, fluffy black hair.

“Yeah, he thinks you did something but that’s bullshit because number 1, why the fuck would you and number 2, I spoke to Cheol hyung yesterday and he’s fine, he even asked how everyone was doing and played one of his new tracks for me.”

“Seungcheol played a new track for you?” Wonwoo said happily, the shape returning to its featureless form.

“Yeah,” Junhui laughed at how excited the raven head sounded. “It was great, as usual. Oh, I almost forgot, can I talk to Mingyu please?”

“Mingyu?” Wonwoo squeaked, looking at his boyfriend whose head was tilted slightly in confusion. Wonwoo covered the receiver and whispered, “Jun wants to talk to you.”

“Why?” Mingyu replied.

“I don’t know.” Wonwoo hissed back.

Mingyu held out his hand for the phone and put it to his ear, clearing his throat once so Junhui knew it was someone different.

“This is Mingyu, right?”

“Yes.”

“If you hurt my best friend I’ll kill you.”

Mingyu scoffed quietly at that. _I’d like to see you try._

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on it.”

“Good. Now give me back to Woowoo.”

Mingyu seethed silently, knowing the Chinese man had only used the nickname to piss him off.

“Here.” He gave it to Wonwoo.

The two spoke for another minute before hanging up.

“What did he speak to you about?”

“Oh nothing,” Mingyu shrugged. “Just congratulated us and told me to take care of you but I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.”

Wonwoo eyed his boyfriend. He knew he was leaving something out but decided not to dwell on it, instead opting to sip his coffee which had disgustingly gone cold.

“Why were you so surprised to find out that Seungcheol is still alive,” Mingyu asked a couple seconds later, “do you not trust me?” Mingyu had on a playful pout but Wonwoo could see the truth in his eyes. He was hurt.

Wonwoo sighed, rubbing at his eye.

Truthfully speaking and putting aside the hobby that he had, Mingyu had done nothing since he’d moved in to give Wonwoo a reason to doubt him. He obviously cared a lot about the what the elder thought of him and it showed in his actions.

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo spoke softly, placing a hand on the younger’s shoulder. “I trust you. Of course I trust you, you’re so good to me.” He smiled, his smile widening when Mingyu did the same before pulling him into a hug that Wonwoo gladly melted into. It was comfortable, Mingyu’s chest. It was warm and Wonwoo fit perfectly.

**Lesson 19 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Trust him. Trust him as he trusts you.**

 

 

Wonwoo trudged into the apartment at 1am. He was exhausted. Having sat through ten meetings throughout day. Business talk is so boring. Like really boring, but it was his job so he had to live with it. Wonwoo didn’t like to admit it, but knowing he was going home to Mingyu was a big help. The younger always found a way to brighten his day.

Unsurprisingly, Mingyu was waiting for him when he entered, sat on the sofa as usual. Unknowingly, the corners of his mouth turned up at the sight of the younger sat with his long tanned legs crossed, the skin of his arms and legs exposed by the shorts and t-shirt he was wearing, smiling like he’d just seen his favourite thing in the world.

And perhaps he had.

But perhaps he hadn’t.

Wonwoo had to constantly remind himself not to fall too deep. _As cute as he may be, you must remember that this is a serial killer who has avoided the police for over six years._ He’s trained in the art of manipulation.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu called out excitedly, jumping from the couch to come and take his bag and suit jacket from him. His face was lit up by a bright grin and Wonwoo couldn’t think of anything other than ‘cute’. Mingyu was really really cute. “Wonwoo,” he whined, his bottom lip jutting out in an over exaggerated pout, “you didn’t tell me you were going to be late today. I prepared something special.”

Wonwoo’s eyes widened in surprise. Had he really? “I’m so sorry Mingyu, I would have found a way to come home early if I knew.” He apologised, genuinely sorry. “Is there a chance we can still do it?”

Mingyu smiled delightedly at how much the elder wanted to appease him. “Of course, but go and shower first.”

“Are you trying to say I stink?” Wonwoo frowned, sniffing his armpits. He didn’t smell that bad.

“It’s so you can relax and feel fresh.” Mingyu laughed and pushed him towards the hallway. “Go. Go.” 

 

 

Wonwoo walked back into the living room dressed in his oversized t-shirt and boxers, his hair dripping wet. Mingyu had been right. The shower had felt wonderful, the colour not even a distraction. When he stepped out of the hallway into the open space, he was surprised to find that the lights were all dimmed, curtains drawn. Even the TV was off. The only light in the room came from the island in the kitchen area where a couple electric candles were set up.

“What is all of this?” He asked, as he walked towards the tall shadow in the kitchen.

“I made dinner.” He replied simply.

“I can see that,” Wonwoo said. “but this more than you usually do. Not that I don’t like it, I’m just worried that’s it’s to make up for doing something you shouldn’t have.”

“Wonwoo, why do you always think the worst of me. Have I not proven myself to you?” There was a new tone to Mingyu’s voice, one Wonwoo had never heard before. Concerned, he turned on the light so he could see the younger, a small gasp falling out of his mouth when he did so.

Mingyu’s face was wet. Wet with tears Wonwoo had caused.

He had never seen him cry. Not even when they watched _Grave of the Fireflies_.

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo whispered. His breath catching in his throat at the sight. Mingyu was a person with feelings, despite what he’d done and Wonwoo was being insensitive.

Quickly, he rushed to the younger’s side, wrapping his pale thin arms around the taller and pressing his head to the junction of his thick neck, his breathing falling into tandem with the younger’s pulsating blood flow. He felt Mingyu’s balled up fists unfurl as he slowly returned the hug. Sadly, it wasn’t with as much conviction as Wonwoo wanted.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t think the worst of you Mingyu, I really don’t. I think you’re kind and caring and misunderstood.”

Mingyu uncurled his limbs from Wonwoo’s hold, the elder unconsciously tensing as he thought that the younger didn’t want to touch him anymore, only to relax when Mingyu only leant back to cup the elder’s face with his large hands.

“I love you, Wonwoo.” He confessed, brown eyes boring down into black ones. And they were full of sincerity.

Sincerity Wonwoo couldn’t deny.

Even if he was manipulative. He wasn’t lying about this.

Mingyu brought Wonwoo’s face to his, pressing his lips gently to the raven head’s forehead, Wonwoo’s eyes closing as he savoured the soft sensation.

**Lesson 20 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Forget they’re a serial killer and remember they’re a person just like you.**

 

 

“I’d like to thank you for coming to this meeting.” Wonwoo declared as he sat at the head of his bed facing the others.

“It’s not like we had a choice.” Woozi deadpanned, earning a small glare from the businessman.

“Hey, that isn’t his fault, shorty.” Luhan defended.

“Shorty,” Woozi snorted. “That’s rich coming from you.” Luhan gasped at the insult. His doe eyes narrowing dangerously.

“He didn’t call us here to fight” Chanyeol, the ever gentle giant, reminded. “So, let’s give Wonwoo the benefit of the doubt.” He smiled, Wonwoo returning a grateful one.

With Chanyeol diffusing the (could be) hostile situation, Wonwoo now realised he had the mic when eight pairs of eyes focused on him. He suddenly became very nervous, shuffling back until his back hit the headboard, his butt resting on his pillows which he took and placed in his lap. Wonwoo had called this jury, of friends and strangers, to discuss a very important issue.

“I think I love Mingyu.”

Eight pairs of eyes blinked at him, all with unreadable expressions.

“Crucify him.” Chanyeol spat.

“Gladly.” Luhan growled.

Okay, so Wonwoo hadn’t been expecting positive reactions but wasn’t ‘crucify him’ a bit much. He sighed as most of the unreadable expressions became clearer.

Anger.

Betrayal.

“Wonwoo,” Joshua whined, “how could you love him, he’s the one who did this to all of us?” he complained, obviously he’d voiced the opinion of the majority as they all nodded in agreement.

Wonwoo felt incredibly guilty. Of course he was aware that Mingyu was the one who killed them all and he was being cautious of that. He really was. But the Mingyu that killed them and the Mingyu that he knew were two different Mingyus. Their murderer was a cold-blooded psychopath, someone who had taken their lives without ever looking back. That guy wasn’t Wonwoo’s boyfriend. Wonwoo’s Mingyu was warm and kind and incredibly cute, not to mention very handsome. He went out of his way to make sure that Wonwoo was comfortable and hadn’t hurt his friends, as promised.

“So what are we then,” Luhan said, gesturing between himself, Joshua and Chanyeol. “Were we not your friends?”

“Yeah, but that was before I knew him,” Wonwoo countered. “He’s changed since then.”

“Has he?” Howon this time. “Remind me again when I died, oh and these two shapes next to me too.”

Wonwoo’s head fell into his lap, unable to bring himself to look up at the no doubt judgmental looks he was getting from his companions. He wasn’t trying to say that Mingyu wasn’t a bad guy, of course he was a bad guy, none of them would be there if he wasn’t. But…

“But what?” Woozi said.

“I love him.” Wonwoo uttered, quietly to himself at first but then he sat up facing his lover’s victims and repeated it with more conviction. “I love him.”

_I don’t know why._

“I can’t explain why, but he makes my heart beat faster and my breath catch in my throat as cliché as that may sound. I look forward to the end of the day because I know Mingyu will be waiting for me at home, like a cuddly puppy. And I’m sorry for what he did to you all, I am, but there’s nothing any of us can do about that now. If I could go back in time and save you, I would. If I could go back in time and make it so that I never walked into Joshua’s office that day, I would. But I can’t. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I love Mingyu and we’re all just going to have to accept that.”

Joshua sighed. “Look Wonwoo, you’re my best friend and if Mingyu is what makes you happy then…” he shrugged.

“We haven’t known each other for a long time but you’re clearly very happy with him, you haven’t had a nightmare in months.” Luhan pointed out.

“Well I still think you’re making a mistake,” Howon commented, scared arms crossed against his chest, “but don’t complain when you end up in our position.” 

 

 

Mingyu hadn’t been the same since the night he’d cried. Maybe he thought he was disguising it well but nothing could escape Wonwoo’s sharp senses. His eyes didn’t shine as bright as they usually did, his smiles weren’t as sincere. He was trying to fake being okay, but Wonwoo knew Mingyu too well. Maybe he’d un-necessarily worried about being manipulated, he could read Mingyu like his favourite book. There was no danger at all.

Wonwoo’s heart sank. It was his fault Mingyu was feeling this way.

_Well, not anymore._

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo called out, walking over so he stood in front of the younger watching TV. Hearing the tone in his voice, Mingyu got worried and instantly jumped up scanning the elder over for injuries. Wonwoo smiled internally at the action. His eyes snapped to Wonwoo’s, searching for a reason why he’d been addressed.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu squeaked when his face was suddenly gripped by the elder’s thin hands.

“Listen carefully Mingyu,” he whispered, the younger nodding to show he was. “I love you. I love you, okay.”

And before a stunned Mingyu had a chance to react, he was pulled down so his small plump lips could fit against Wonwoo’s perfectly. Once Mingyu had recovered from his shock, his arms, that had been hanging limply by his side, came to wrap around Wonwoo and bring the older man’s body closer to his, one hand fisting his black locks as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, enjoying the shudder he felt run through Wonwoo’s body.

**Lesson 21 of how to live with a serial killer in the house: Fall in love with him.**


	25. Chapter 16

Boo Seungkwan was sat atop a table with his legs crossed and a pencil between his teeth. The table he was sat on was covered with files and notes on the Tooth Fairy case as was the floor and the walls. Jeonghan was stood in front of the whiteboard which had pictures of dead bodies, evidence and documents like witness reports connected by red lines.

Jeonghan sighed, tucking his short black hair behind his ears as he leant against the desk with arms folded across his chest, looking a lot better than he had a few months ago.

“Let’s recap.” He said, facing his round-cheeked assistant. “The last victim was Lee Howon, found on the first floor of his dance studio tied to a chair with multiple incisions over his body, covered in lemon juice with his tongue slit and teeth missing.” Seungkwan recounted. “He died from blood loss. The rope he was tied with came from his studio and the lemon juice brand could be brought in any convenience store. There was no DNA present except for his own and CCTV was down in the area. There were also no witnesses.” Jeonghan nodded, taking the information in.  “And that’s the fifth victim in seven months: Joshua Hong in September, Park Chanyeol in October, Lee Jihoon and Lu Han in November and Lee Howon in December.”

“There’s never been such a large number of victims in such a short space of time.” Jeonghan thought aloud.

“What are you thinking, sir?” Seungkwan asked, he could see the cogs turning in the young inspector’s head.

He hummed in thought. “Is he panicking? Maybe we’re getting close and he’s lashing out.” He theorised.

“Do you still think it might be Jeon Wonwoo?”

The detective sighed, looking slightly conflicted for a moment. “No. No I don’t. I just think he’s a really unfortunate guy. I do, however, think that the Tooth Fairy is related to him. Most of the recent victims has had some kind of connection to him, it’s leading me to believe that maybe the Tooth Fairy has some kind of infatuation with Wonwoo, I don’t think he was lying when he said the Tooth Fairy found him cute. This may be his jealousy being displayed. And if we think of it that way, then we have to consider who around Wonwoo has displayed feelings that may be stronger than just…” He made a vague gesture with his hands. “Do you get what I mean?”

“I think I do.” Seungkwan replied, but his eyes were narrowed suspiciously. He had an idea of where the elder’s reasoning was leading and he wasn’t sure if he agreed with it.

“Like that Wen Junhui. I mean, you saw how protective he was of Wonwoo but they’re ‘just friends’, ‘best friends’, maybe that’s very frustrating for him and he deals with it by brutally mutilating people. We linked the victims to Wonwoo, but when you think about it, they could be linked to Junhui too.”

Seungkwan gave him an incredulous look, head tilting ever so slightly. “Hyung. Don’t you think you’re letting your contempt for him cloud your judgement?”

“He’s just so rude. Did you see how he disrespected me when we went to get Wonwoo for questioning that time or what about when we were at the Jihoon crime scene, he just disregarded my orders.” The elder whined, pouting at the assistant who laughed at the cute display. The Yoon Jeonghan who was working on the case now was a different man to the one who had been working on it a few months ago. (He’d changed more than his haircut.) Seungkwan had showed him that being stressed out and overworking was not the way forwards, if he was going to catch the Tooth Fairy then he’d have to do it with a clear and healthy mind.

The two detectives were interrupted by a knock on the door. Jeonghan called for them to come in. The door opened slowly and officer Lee Byunghun poked his head in, a distressed expression on his handsome features.

“Erm…” he stammered, “There’s a new body.”

Jeonghan and Seungkwan eyes widened, the pair sharing a look before leaping into action.

“What’s the address?” Jeonghan asked, Seungkwan already preparing to note it down. Byunghun read off the address from the paper in his hands and Jeonghan frowned. 

_Why did that address sound so familiar?_

 

 

“It can’t be.” Seungkwan murmured as the car pulled up to the apartment complex.

“Are you sure this is the correct address?” Jeonghan asked to which Seungkwan nodded. He didn’t like where this was going. He had a bad feeling and Jeonghan always trusted his gut feeling.

“It might just be a coincidence,” Seungkwan reasoned. 

 

 

It wasn’t a coincidence.

“Oh my gosh,” Seungkwan uttered as he ducked under the police tape that blocked the door. Jeonghan was already grumbling under his breath as he entered because they had to go through a crowd of students to get to the dorm, but when he entered a soft whisper of ‘shit’ left his mouth.

The room was mostly clean, aside from the usual student mess such as empty cups and dirty plates. No sign of a struggle. There was a computer desk opposite the bed. The laptop was smashed to bits. The only sign of disturbance besides the body.

The body which was tied to the desk chair perpendicular to the desk.

With hands perched on the table as if they were waiting to write his next article.

But he wouldn’t get to.

There were no fingers to type with.

Dried blood was caked around his mouth.

The only other blood on his face was on his forehead.

Where the word ‘LIAR’ was written in the liquid which had once given him life.

Chwe Hansol would never write another article again.  


	26. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to avoid confusion, in this chapter parts are time spliced (does that make sense, I think I'm inventing things). What I'm trying to say is that the same scene is featured from different perspectives so might appear twice. Also, mentions of suicide.

Wonwoo sang along softly to the theme song of _Danny Phantom_. He was laying across the sofa with his head in Mingyu’s lap, the latter casually stroking his hair as they completed their daily routine of watching cartoons. The pair were interrupted by a loud rapping on the door. Mingyu jumping up with an ‘I’ve got it’ that caused Wonwoo’s head to land harshly on the sofa. The elder frowned whilst rubbing the sore spot. Sometimes he could swear that Mingyu was an actual puppy. Just look how excitedly he had run to the door, he could practically see the fluffy brown tail wagging behind the younger. He chuckled to himself at the cute image and then continued to watch the episode.

“Erm…” Woozi hummed, “I don’t really want to tell you how to run your life but don’t you think allowing the killer you’re harbouring to open the door is a bad idea.”

 _Shit_ , he cursed. Woozi was right. Wonwoo realising that now as raised voices could be heard. He hoped it wasn’t Jun and Mingyu fighting. He quickly jumped up, rushing to the door only to stop.

“W-What’s going on?” he asked, tentatively walking forward. Mingyu’s large frame was blocking the door and Wonwoo couldn’t see who it was. This worried Wonwoo, especially since the younger’s back looked tense as if he was on guard or preparing to fight.  

His question went ignored. 

 

 

 

Detective Yoon exited the elevator with assistant Boo following quickly on his heels. The ride up had been particularly tense with Seungkwan expressing his sentiments about Jeonghan’s next movements. He understood that the link between Wonwoo and Hansol was undeniable (they had seen the businessman leave the other’s dorm so they clearly knew each other) but besides that incident there was nothing to link Wonwoo to the student, as per usual there had been no DNA evidence found at the scene. Seungkwan trusted Jeonghan, the detective had proved himself worthy of his trust many times, but he couldn’t help but think that the elder was rushing into this.

Before he realised, Jeonghan was knocking on the apartment door. The assistant shot his elder one more wary look before the door was opened.

Both men’s heads tilted up slightly to look at the person.

“What do you want?” The hostility in the person’s voice making the two detectives suddenly freeze and become nervous. This wasn’t what they had been expecting.

“Erm…” Jeonghan hummed, blinking. What the hell was he doing? He was Yoon Jeonghan, the lead detective on the Tooth Fairy case, he couldn’t be making a fool of himself like this. The detective shook his head, regaining his composure. “Wonwoo needs to come in for questioning?” There was a slight inflection at the end of his words which resulted in it sounding more like a question than a demand like he’d intended it to be. Was he unsure of what he himself was saying? What was wrong with him?

An eyebrow was raised, the taller leaning against the doorframe with arms folded and a slight bored expression. “And why is that?”

Jeonghan found himself becoming increasingly pissed off by the man’s attitude, who was he to talk down to Jeonghan? “Chwe Hansol was found dead two days ago and-”

“Yeah, I’m still not getting what that has to do with Wonwoo.”

“You don’t-” Jeonghan choked out a laugh of disbelief. “We saw-”

“Do you have any evidence linking Wonwoo to the Hansol murder?” Jeonghan was cut off again. The detective was quickly losing his patience and Seungkwan, sensing this, put a hand to his shoulder to bring him back to reality, he couldn’t lose his cool or he risked losing his job.

“No.” He answered through gritted teeth.

The other smiled smugly. “Then you have no business being here. Wonwoo is not a witness nor is he a suspect as you have no evidence. You are only here on your own speculations. This is harassment. Can’t you see that Wonwoo has suffered, why do you keep dragging him into shit he isn’t involved with? If you bother us again, I will not hesitate to file a complaint against your ass. Hansol had nothing to do with Wonwoo so leave him alone. Leave us alone!”

And with that, the door was slammed in their faces. The detectives sharing a look of what the fuck just happened before Seungkwan dragged Jeonghan into the elevator after realising his boss was two seconds away from kicking the door down and definitely losing them their jobs. 

 

 

“Hansol had nothing to do with Wonwoo so leave him alone. Leave us alone!” Mingyu yelled before slamming the door and turning to Wonwoo in a huff, stopping when he noticed the older man’s presence. Wonwoo looked concerned and anxious as he shuffled on his feet with his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Who was that?”

“The police.”

Wonwoo looked up from the floor. “Why was the police here?” he asked, but in his heart he already knew the answer.

“They wanted to question you about Hansol and I told them to bring a warrant. This is harassment, Wonwoo.” The younger exclaimed as he took steps closer to the elder, wrapping his arms around him slowly and holding the smaller to his chest. “They have no evidence against you, I won’t let them harm you anymore.” He whispered into his hair.

For some reason Mingyu’s embrace didn’t feel as comforting, as warm and as safe, as it usually did. It felt cold and harsh, distant if anything, like the progress they’d made the past months was none existent. Wonwoo stood awkwardly as he was smushed into the younger’s chest. “Mingyu what did you do? What did you do to Hansol?” Wonwoo said because he wasn’t completely clueless, so wrapped up in his fantasy that he forgot what Mingyu was capable of. Maybe it could be argued that Wonwoo was naïve for thinking that Mingyu could change. He’d said it himself, he was a psychopath who didn’t care about anything, so why had Wonwoo expected him to care about his feelings. This is probably what Mingyu had wanted. To play with his new toy in a way that was different to his others. Rather than torture him physically he wanted to use a more covert method, one that left deeper wounds and scars.

No.

Wonwoo refused to be played with like this.

He pushed himself out of Mingyu’s hold, the latter’s eyebrows disappearing beneath his fringe as he stared at the elder in surprise.

“What did you do to Hansol, Mingyu?” Wonwoo whispered, his fists were clenched tightly to his side. Anger was shooting through his body, boiling his insides and tainting his vision red. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM MINGYU?”

“I KILLED HIM!” The younger yelled back. “But you have to understand, I did it for you.” He pleaded, rushing to Wonwoo’s side and cupping the latter’s face. “He kept writing lies about you on his blog, Wonwoo, and the police, those fucking idiots, they actually believed them. Can’t you see, they are determined to punish you for the Tooth Fairy’s crimes.”

“Your crimes.”

Mingyu sighed. “Yes, my crimes which is why I know you’re innocent. How could I allow Hansol to poison people’s minds with lies that I know wasn’t true? I did this for you.”

Wonwoo shook his head, removing Mingyu’s hands from his face he spoke, “You did it for no one but yourself. When I agreed to date you, agreed to trust you like you wanted me to, you promised me you would stop killing.”

“Technically I promised not to kill for as long as possible and-”

Mingyu was cut off by Wonwoo’s bitter laughter. “They were right.”

“Wh-Who was right?” Mingyu wondered but Wonwoo completely ignored him, moving instead to the front door and putting his trainers on.

“I’m going out. Don’t come looking for me.” He said as he opened the door. “And try not to kill anyone whilst I’m gone.” He added as an afterthought before slamming the door shut behind him. 

 

 

 

Jun was sweating profusely. The Chinese man had been dancing in his living room for the past two hours. His life had been pretty hectic lately and his way of dealing with it was dancing. Nothing could get in between him and his love for dancing. Just as he’d finished jumping around to 2NE1’s _Do You Love Me_ , a knock sounded at the door. Wiping the sweat that was dripping down his neck with a towel which he then hung around his shoulders, he went and answered it, a look of surprise crossing his features when he found Wonwoo on his doorstep.

“Er….” He hummed dumbly.

“Can I come in?” Wonwoo asked, waking Junhui from his surprise as the elder stepped to the side to allow his best friend in. Wonwoo mumbled a thanks before entering and heading straight for the other’s couch.

“Not to sound rude or anything but…what are you doing here?” Jun said as he sat next to him. Wonwoo looked like he’d been crying. “Did you get into an argument with your boyfriend?” Judging by the scoff that left his mouth Jun deduced that he was right. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not particularly.”

Jun nodded. That was fair. He wasn’t exactly excited at the prospect of helping Wonwoo with his love life when his was so non-existent.

Wonwoo sighed. “I didn’t plan on coming here, I’m sorry for bothering you.” He said dejectedly before looking up from his lap, his eyebrows furrowing. “When did you dye your hair blonde?”

“Like a week ago.”

Wonwoo frowned. _I guess I was too busy with Mingyu to notice._

“Did you know that Hansol is dead?”

“WHAT?” Junhui practically leaped out of his seat. “The Tooth Fairy?”

“Yep.”

“Shit.” He whispered, settling into his seat. Being honest, when Wonwoo had said Hansol was dead, the first thing he had felt was guilt. Did Hansol kill himself? Maybe he’d been too harsh with his words that time but what else was he supposed to say? Hansol was jumping to all the wrong conclusions and was hurting people he was supposed to care about. That didn’t make him feel any less guilty though. He couldn’t help but wonder if this still would have been the outcome if instead of being mean to and excluding the student, he had reached out a hand instead. Provided him with a different hobby because clearly he had been bored.

“Can I stay the night?”

“What about Mingyu?”

Wonwoo didn’t answer. 

 

 

_Wonwoo woke up on the floor. Disorientated and shivering from the cold. He stood up slowly as he became more aware of his surroundings. It looked like he was in a foyer, one he recognised as the one from Hong & Co. _

_So he was dreaming about being at work. There was nothing strange about that. People dreamt about work all the time. So why did Wonwoo feel so uncomfortable?_

_Upon further inspection, Wonwoo realised that a bar was floating above his head that looked like a HP gauge. So he was dreaming that he was a character in a game set at work. Stranger things had happened._

_Pushing the weird feelings aside, Wonwoo made his way to the elevator, the metal box instantly moving up without him pushing anything. With a ding, the elevator stopped at floor one and Wonwoo got off._

_Floor one. The employee rec room was on floor one. Wonwoo looked around. He was so used to seeing the place brightly lit up it was unsettling to see it in the dark. His senses were telling him to tread carefully, so tread carefully he did. He was about half way into the room when he realised that he wasn’t alone. The shadows around him seemed to be moving as if they were teeming with life, shifting around him so that they followed him without touching him. It unnerved him. Especially when, the gap between them and him shortened. Feeling cornered, he stopped moving. Maybe if he stayed still then it would too._

_That wasn’t the case._

_The shadows continued to advance on his shaking form, his back was pressed against the wall. There was no were else to go._

_As they got closer, Wonwoo began to be able to make out the shapes that was causing the shadows to vibrate._

_It was a finger._

_That was it._

_No hand attached. Just a solitary digit wriggling across the floor like a pink, fleshy, slug. But it wasn’t alone. More and more of these finger worms appeared from the darkness advancing towards Wonwoo like an armada._

_The first one reached him and Wonwoo stepped on it, grimacing when red squirted from it as a pixilated +10 floated up with an electronic ping. So they were killable but that piece of information didn’t help Wonwoo, there were far too many for him to kill one by one._

_He was quickly overwhelmed by the digits. He could feel them all over his body, poking and prodding at him or trying to get into any hole it could find. Wonwoo wanted to scream out for help but knew that they would fill his mouth if he did so. He was trapped and being attacked with no way to get out. Through small gaps in the writhing mass, he could make out a boy sat atop one of the tables dressed in a hoodie with his laptop on his folded lap. It didn’t take a genius to realise that this was Hansol._

_At that discovery, Wonwoo’s body slackened as he stopped fighting._

_This was his punishment. It happened with all the others and he accepted it._

_“But you don’t need to.”_

_“This burden it could so easily be gotten rid of.”_

_“Mingyu is bad for you.”_

**_No. No he isn’t._ ** _Wonwoo tried to argue. **I need him.** But as soon he opened his mouth, they had flooded in. Choking him. _

_The HP gauge depleting as he struggled for air._

 

When he’d woken up with a scream, Junhui rushing in to comfort him, nothing the other had done made him feel better and the pair ended up staying up the whole night. His small eyes were laden with bags. He hadn’t slept a wink last night. Hansol had made sure of it.

 

Wonwoo was sat on Jun’s couch in borrowed clothing. A bowl of cereal in his hands as he munched on the sugary wheat whilst half-heartedly watching _Powerpuff Girls_. He was so out of it he didn’t notice when his best friend came and sat down next to him until the former punched his arm gently.

“I asked what do you plan on doing today?”

Wonwoo didn’t know. He was still so confused. Clearly his dream last night had been trying to send him a message. But he couldn’t deny that not sleeping in Mingyu’s arms last night had felt…wrong? Lonely. Even with Junhui’s hot body beside his own, he had felt nothing but cold. The warmth wasn’t the same. It didn’t seep into his every pore and stir his insides leaving him bubbling with such passion that he was sure he walked around with a permanent glow. He’d only gone one night without it and he was already desperate to get back to him.

“What do you do if you know that someone you care about isn’t a good person, but you care about them too much to let them go?”

Junhui made a noise of confusion at the sudden question. He was visibly thrown off as he blinked blankly, scratching his head of blonde hair. “Erm… well I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘not a good person’. If you mean that they don’t donate to charity as much as you think they should then I think that you might be able to overlook that.”

Wonwoo looked at his best friend unimpressed. Scoffing as a small smile appeared on his face as he punched the other. “Be serious for once will you.”

“I can’t be serious, I’m Wen Junhui.”

“I will pour this bowl over your head and not feel one ounce of sympathy.”

Junhui laughed loudly as Wonwoo did the same.

“In all seriousness, it depends on the person. For example, if you, or Soonyoung, was to do something bad and you were truly sorry then I’d probably forgive you. I trust you and everyone is allowed to make mistakes. This probably has something to do with Mingyu. Look, I don’t know what’s going on between you two but I’m sure you’ll overcome it. He makes you so happy. And with all this shit going on around you, you’re entitled to have something that makes you happy. Do you want me to call him for you?”

 Junhui was right. And Mingyu was Mingyu. He was naïve to think that he could change him, but Wonwoo loved him and was just going to have to accept him as he was. Wonwoo shook his head. “It’s alright. I’ll just go home.” 

 

 

As soon as he’d heard the keypad beeping, Mingyu was on his feet in an instant. Wonwoo had barely stepped a foot through the door when his legs were wrapped in Mingyu. The younger was clinging to him like a koala to a bamboo stick causing Wonwoo to have to shuffle in awkwardly with a limp as he dragged the younger’s dead weight in.

“I take it you missed me then?”

“Yes. So so so much.” Mingyu babbled as he clung to Wonwoo’s leg more tightly and nuzzled his face into the other’s leg. “This doesn’t smell like you. Is this Junhui’s clothes? Did you stay at his house last night?”

“Are you getting jealous again?” Wonwoo asked with a teasing lilt to which the younger quickly denied, he wasn’t looking to get on the other’s bad side, especially since he seemed to be in a much more pleasant mood than he’d left in the previous day. “Off.” Wonwoo commanded, shaking his leg which was starting to die. Reluctantly, Mingyu uncoiled himself from the other’s limb choosing instead to sit at his heels as Wonwoo relaxed into the sofa and look at him expectantly.

“What did you and Junhui do yesterday?” Mingyu’s lips were squished into a pout and he was trying to sound impassive but judging by the way Wonwoo had started snickering, he failed.

“What would you do if I told you we had sex?”

The look Mingyu sent Wonwoo prompted another bout of laughter from the businessman. Mingyu tried hard to keep the scowl on his face but hearing the other’s deep rumble made him too happy.

“We watched cartoons all day.” He informed the younger whose visible sigh of relief made Wonwoo chuckle again.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as Mingyu rested his head on the other’s knees.

“Don’t think all is forgiven Mingyu. I’m still extremely mad at you but an angel told me that if you trust someone then they’re entitled to make mistakes.” Someone in the back of Wonwoo’s mind told him that the mistakes Junhui was referring to were probably more along the line of re-taping over his favourite program not murder, but Wonwoo’s situation was unique. “I don’t trust you not to kill again but I’m willing to forgive and forget because I love you.” _And having to deal with the monster that you truly are is too much for me_.

“Am I really forgiven?” He sat up. The way the younger’s eyes sparkled made Wonwoo’s breath catch so he nodded in reply. “That’s great!” he beamed, “as I have something exciting planned. How do you feel about the idea of going away for a weekend, just me and you?”

_Well…it would be a good idea for you to get away from everything for a while, Joshua said._

_Yeah, you need a break after what I’ve put you through, hyung, Hansol agreed._

_Plus, just the two of you. How romantic does that sound, Luhan added._

Wonwoo looked at the younger who was holding his gaze expectantly.

“I think that sounds great.” 

 

 

It was during their lunch break on Monday that Wonwoo and Junhui found themselves chilling in Jasmines with a plate of pastries between them specially prepared by Chan before the younger had clocked off and rushed to uni.

“Oh,” Wonwoo exclaimed as he suddenly remembered something. “I’m going on a trip this weekend.”

“With Mingyu?”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo smiled, his eyes sparkling as he thought of his boyfriend. He was so excited for the trip. Mingyu had explained a bit more where they were going and he couldn’t wait. The idea of just him and Mingyu spending time together without having to worry about what’s been going on lately.

“You must really like him.”

Wonwoo made a noise of confusion at the comment. His small black eyes blinking at the Chinese man sat opposite him as he was brought out of his reverie. Junhui chuckled at the cute expression. “W-Why would you say that?” He stuttered, his pale cheeks becoming coloured with pink.

“Just at the mention of him your face lit up like New Year’s Eve.” Junhui observed, a wide grin gracing his face as the younger spluttered, putting his hands to his face which was turning increasingly red like the flow of oxygen was being cut off. Was he really that obvious, he wondered.

“Yes. Yes, you are.” Junhui answered. He was now leaning back in his seat, his arms folded as he regarded his friend lazily. “You’re so whipped it’s unbelievable. I never imagined Jeon Wonwoo could be like this, so in love.”

Wonwoo blushed even harder at the elder’s words, tugging at his collar as he suddenly felt very hot. But he couldn’t deny the truth to Junhui’s words. “Do you… Do you want to see a picture of him?” Wonwoo asked quietly.

“Of course!” Junhui replied, leaning across the table so he could see the other’s phone. Wonwoo explained that his lock screen was a picture of them together.

With a blush, Wonwoo shyly displayed his phone screen, looking everywhere else but at Junhui to avoid seeing the other’s expression. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”

“He’s... something.”

Hearing the tone in the other’s voice, Wonwoo frowned, putting his phone back in his pocket before fluffing his hair sheepishly. “I’m sorry, I’m being insensitive.”

Jun’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why do you say that?”

“Huh?” Wonwoo said as if he was only just realising that he’d said that out loud. He looked up from his lap and saw that Junhui was looking at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. He knew that look. Junhui wouldn’t let it drop until he knew the truth. Shit, now he had nowhere to run. “Erm… it’s just…er…. I’m rubbing my boyfriend in your face and…”

“And” he pressed.

Wonwoo was now very sure that the sun had moved closer to the Earth. How else could the heat he was feeling be explained? It was either that, or hell was attempting to swallow him up. “And… it’s unfair to you because…” His shoulders slumped as he struggled to speak.

Wonwoo didn’t continue, but Junhui didn’t need him to. He could read the other like the back of his hand. “How long?”

“Jun” he whined. He really didn’t want to do this.

But Junhui clearly did. “How long, Wonwoo?”

“Since the kiss.” He admitted quietly. “When I looked in your eyes on the ride back, even though you said it was fine your smile didn’t reach your eyes, they were sad and that’s when I realised. That you were disappointed in yourself for not stopping me sooner. You were scared about… being found out.”

Junhui’s lips were tight as he nodded to himself. “I see.” So that was why Wonwoo had stuck up for him whenever Soonyoung got nosey.

At the other’s lack of a response Wonwoo got worried. “Jun, are you mad at me? Please don’t be mad at me.” He pleaded.

“How could I be mad at you? You haven’t done anything wrong. These are my feelings, if anything I’m just upset with myself for ruining our friendship.”

Wonwoo’s eyes flew wide open at that and the raven head practically leapt across the table to grab Junhui’s hand. “Don’t say that. You haven’t ruined our friendship. Please Jun, don’t stop talking to me. I need you. You’re one of the few good things in my life, please.”

The Chinese man looked slightly a taken back at the other’s reaction. He hadn’t expected such a passionate one. Truthfully speaking, Junhui didn’t want to leave the younger’s life. He had done very well at keeping his feelings to himself and could continue to do very well at it for as long as was necessary. “I won’t leave you, Wonwoo. I promise.”  

 

 

Wonwoo was emotionally exhausted when he entered his home that night.

“Hey babe,” Mingyu greeted as he turned off the music channel. U-Kiss’ _She’s mine_ had been playing. “How was work, anything interesting happen?”

“Nope.” Wonwoo answered with a shake of his head. “Just a normal boring day in the office.” 


	27. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there's smut in this chapter & its shitty but i cant really be assed to change it (its a product of its time and I like to think I've grown since then). That being said, its sectioned off so you can just skip the thing if you want.

Wonwoo spent the entire day with a huge grin on his face, to the point where Soonyoung almost called the hospital because he thought the raven head was higher than the Empire State building. The blonde had glared at him, told him it was unnatural for him to be smiling that much. ‘Not even Seokmin smiles that much’ he’d muttered when his efforts to get his friend to stop creeping him out had failed. It wasn’t Soonyoung’s fault. Nothing could get in the way of Wonwoo’s good mood, not even if he was to be fired that very moment, because today was finally Friday, and he and Mingyu would be leaving for their trip in a couple hours. He was so excited. As each day of the week passed, his anticipation had only grown more and more, building like magma in a volcano, and he was very close to exploding. Having the younger constantly tell him every day how great this trip was going to be whilst cuddling wasn’t helping either. ‘You’re gonna love it’, he’d say as he pressed his lips gently to the elder’s temple.

It was five o’clock which meant that it was the end of the work day. Usually Wonwoo would stay behind for a few more hours to get some important work done (as was the expected of people with executive jobs) but the moment that clock hit five Wonwoo bid Junhui a very cheerful goodbye and was out the building in a minute. 

 

The businessman was walking briskly down the busy rush hour street, bumping into a few people, mumbling a quick apology and continuing on, when his phone rang. He pressed the Bluetooth earpiece on his ear whilst continuing his fast pace.

“Wonwoo!” Mingyu boomed brightly the moment the call was connected and Wonwoo couldn’t help but smile at how happy the younger’s tone was, it was a perfect reflection of how he was feeling. “Where are you? Have you left work yet?”

“Yep. I’m on my way home.” He replied.

“Good. Don’t go home.”

Wonwoo’s face scrunched up as he stopped suddenly in the middle of the pavement causing a human pile up behind him. The businessman’s face reddened with embarrassment as several people walked around him grumbling angrily as they shot him dirty looks, he could do nothing but bow and apologise. He moved to the side of the pavement where he couldn’t cause any more problems. “W-What do you mean don’t go home?” he was finally able to reply. Why wouldn’t Mingyu want him to go home? Were their plans cancelled?

“We need food so meet me at the supermarket down the block.”

Wonwoo breathed a sigh of relief, the tension draining from his shoulders. Mingyu had really had him worried for a second there. Wonwoo agreed and said goodbye before ending the call and cutting Mingyu’s kissy noises short.

 

When he’d arrived, Mingyu had asked him if he’d run there with a teasing smile. Just because he was out of breath didn’t mean he’d run. He, firstly, was just unfit and secondly, wasn’t interested in Mingyu enough to do that. (That second point may have been a bit of a lie. But it was only just a small one, he lied to himself.)

Mingyu let Wonwoo push the metal cart, the former choosing instead to attach himself to Wonwoo’s back, his long tanned arms caging the other in as they both shuffled along the aisles. Wonwoo’s face was a bright pink. Mingyu was pressed so tightly against him that he could feel the other’s heat seeping into him through his clothes and warming his chest with more than just heat. He could only hope that Mingyu couldn’t feel his rapid heartbeat. And it appeared that he couldn’t as the taller was babbling on about what to buy in-between humming along to Henry’s _Trap_ that was playing softly from the overhead speakers. Wonwoo was so lost in the musings of his heart that he didn’t realise they’d stopped moving and the song and the distant sound of other shoppers was the only thing audible over the sound of his chest pounding.

“Wonwoo.” Mingyu’s voice broke through the noise causing Wonwoo to tilt his head back, his black eyes meeting Mingyu’s brown ones. “Have you been listening to anything I was saying?”

Wonwoo suddenly felt guilty, his blush deepening as he shook his head. “I’m sorry, I got lost in the song.” He lied, not wanting the younger to tease him because he knew he would if he knew why he’d really spaced out.

Mingyu frowned, his pink bottom lip jutting out adorably in a pout. “You have to repay me for not listening. Push me in the cart.”

“Huh?” Wonwoo squawked. “What did you just say?”

“Push me” the younger whined, throwing in puppy eyes for good measure too.

“How old are you?” Wonwoo tutted. However, despite his obvious disapproval, he still found himself helping Mingyu fit his long limbs in the cart a couple seconds later. He sighed once the younger had squeezed himself in comfortably, a big and content smile on his handsome face.

The things he would do for this idiot.   

With a growing smile, Wonwoo started to push the significantly heavier cart around the store, Mingyu’s high pitched giggle accompanying them as he picked up random snacks and dumped them on top of his body. Wonwoo picked up pace as they zoomed through the aisles, his low giggle harmonizing perfectly with Mingyu’s laugh as they raced around without a care, ignoring the strange looks from onlookers. Before Wonwoo would have been concerned when strangers looked at him, unable to stop himself from assuming that they were speaking negatively of him, and used to wish he could have the care-free attitude of Kwon and Jun, wish he could hide his anxieties as well as others could, but now he couldn’t care less. If they were able to peer into his soul, then they’d see nothing but unbridled happiness. They wouldn’t even have to look past the surface, it glowed from his every pore.   

 

Wonwoo and Mingyu crashed into the apartment, both men laden with shopping bags, their giggles and wide smiles not betraying the strain in their arms. They had played in the store until the manager had kicked them out -but not before making them pay for everything in the cart.

After depositing the white bags in the kitchen, the pair found themselves in Wonwoo’s bedroom, an empty backpack laying on the bed beside a complaining Mingyu.

“I can’t believe you haven’t packed yet,” he whined as he stared at the ceiling, his feet swinging absentmindedly.

Wonwoo couldn’t believe it either. Somewhere in all his excitement and anticipation he’d forgot that he’d actually need clothes. It’s not like it was going to take him long to do it, they were only going for three days -two and a half if you don’t count Friday-. Wonwoo made quick work of pulling out a couple t-shirts and pairs of underwear and stuffing them into the bag with a satisfied hum. Not long at all.

“So, how we getting there?” Mingyu asked. His head was resting on his palm as he leaned lazily against the kitchen counter. Wonwoo was packing all the food they’d just bought into a different backpack, his hand freezing midway before he turned to face the younger, a look of confusion scrunching his features.

“What do you mean ‘how are we getting there’?”

Mingyu rolled his eyes as if Wonwoo had just asked the dumbest question in the world. “I mean, how are you and I getting to the location where we will be spending the weekend?” he spoke slowly, as if he were speaking to a child and Wonwoo had to resist the urge to slap him across the face for sassing him.

“Why didn’t you sort that out?”

“Geez, I found the place. Did you want me to do everything?”

He blinked. _Deep breaths Wonwoo, deep breaths. This is the guy you love, you love him so please don’t wring his neck,_ Wonwoo calmed himself down. Sometimes he forgot how immature the younger actually could be.

He sighed as he thought about how to get there. “Well…. It’s not that far by car,” he suggested, missing the way the younger’s eyes started to sparkle as he approached him slowly, startling Wonwoo when his hands suddenly found themselves on his waist.

“But you don’t have a license and I can’t drive,” he pointed out, as his head rested on the raven head’s shoulder. Wonwoo silently prayed that the younger couldn’t feel his pulse increase.

He bit at his bottom lip. That was true. “Well… it’s not like we’d be on the road for a long time,” he reasoned.

Mingyu’s soft gasp fanned hot breath across Wonwoo’s pale neck. “Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” He chuckled lowly. Wonwoo had to stop himself from shivering at the seductive sound. “My baby, I think I’ve corrupted you.” He smirked. 

 

 

“Just can’t control.”

“Just can’t control.”

“Just can’t control.”

“Just can’t control.”

Mingyu and Wonwoo sang as the black Lexus hybrid drove down the motorway. They’d been on the road for about half an hour now and Wonwoo must admit, he was very pleased by how well his driving was considering the fact that he didn’t have a license or much practice apart from a few lessons Seungcheol had given him. Their destination was Soyang lake in the Gangwon province. Luckily for Wonwoo, it was an hour’s drive to Chuncheon and then a forty-five-minute drive up the mountain. Although driving without a license made him uneasy, Mingyu had promised it would be worth it.  

 

 

Wonwoo couldn’t believe it.

He had actually fallen asleep.

Mingyu was snoring quietly with his head against the window. Wonwoo smiled. This may sound bad, but he thought that he loved Mingyu the most when he was asleep. He looked so peaceful. So innocent. Like he couldn’t hurt a fly. Like the horror he was capable of was a foreign concept. An unwelcomed dream. Well of course Wonwoo knew it wasn’t a dream… but it was nice to feel like it was for the few hours when Mingyu would let his guard down.

He returned his eyes to the road. The sun was beginning to set, colouring the sky a deep orange that peaked through the gaps of the trees, bathing their path in a golden light. It was beautiful. Far better than anything he could see in Seoul.

Reluctantly, Wonwoo started to wake up Mingyu, chuckling softly when the younger whined and asked for five more minutes. “Look, as much as I love looking at your sleeping face, I have no idea what this place looks like so you’re gonna have to point it out.” He said, which made Mingyu finally give up on dreamland and sit up with a sleepy pout. His black hair was squished to one side from the position he’d slept in.

With Mingyu’s guidance, the couple arrived at the picturesque house. It was night by then and Wonwoo was glad to see that the front porch was lit up. _There’s electricity_ , he sighed happily. Wonwoo parked the car to the side and switched off the engine. His fingers were starting to twitch with excitement. This was actually happening. It was really just him and Mingyu for the whole weekend. No nosey cops, no dead bodies or missing roommates. No best friends with confusing feelings or mistaken articles. Nope. It was just him and Mingyu.

Wonwoo jumped when he heard a knock against the glass. Mingyu was peering in at him and he realised that he’d gotten lost in his thoughts and was yet to leave the car. With a sheepish smile and coloured cheeks, he quickly exited the car and followed behind a silently laughing Mingyu as they stepped up the couple stone steps that lead to the daecheong. Mingyu had managed to find a charming traditional house. The tiled roof was black and the walls white, held together by wooden beams. From the outside, the place looked small, but that was fine, it was only the two of them anyways.

“There’s electricity but we’re gonna have to burn wood if you want heat to cook and warm the water and shit like that,” Mingyu had told him as they’d stepped in, but Wonwoo was too busy looking around to pay attention.

He’d never really seen the inside of a Hanok before. It looked like there were only two other rooms aside from the one he was stood in. He toed his shoes off and felt a pleasured jolt go up his spine as he stepped onto the warm ondol floor. The house was lightly furnished: a small square table sat in the middle of the open space which would serve as their living room and kitchen for the next couple days. After a quick investigation, he found that the other two rooms were a bathroom and bedroom.

“Do you like it?” Mingyu asked, he’d been content watching his boyfriend look around like a kid in a candy store for a few minutes but now he was actually curious to know what the elder’s exact thoughts were.

“I love it!” Wonwoo threw his arms around the taller’s neck before pulling his head down into a soft kiss just to show how much he appreciated it. “It’s small and quiet, just what I need.” He whispered before pressing their lips together once more.

Mingyu smiled into the kiss. “It’s late.” He stated. “Why don’t I make us some dinner? How ‘bout army stew?”

Army stew sounded great. 

Together, they chopped up the vegetables and meat that needed to go in and compiled it into a pot they found under the sink. The good thing about army stew was that it was basically just canned food all thrown together so they’d prepared it in next to no time. With the stew boiling on the portable gas stove, the pair sat either side of the table and waited for it to finish, Wonwoo’s grumbling stomach betraying just how hungry he was. Too hungry for bowls, the couple just ate straight from the pot, Mingyu letting out a pained yelp when he burnt his tongue.

“That’s why you need to blow it first, you idiot.” Wonwoo laughed before playfully petting the pouting puppy on the head.

Between the two of them, the food quickly disappeared. After a speedy washing of dishes (Mingyu took great pride in being clean), it was time for bed. 

To say the bedroom was not what Wonwoo had been expecting would be an understatement. Usually, in traditional houses, they could just sleep on the floor; it was heated anyways, so it wasn’t a problem.

But somehow, and Wonwoo was going to kill him for it later, Mingyu had managed to find what was probably the only Hanok in a reclusive mountain with a king sized double bed with fucking flower petals on it.

_FLOWER PETALS._

Wonwoo turned to Mingyu and gave him the dirtiest look he could muster which only made the younger snicker even louder to the point where he was bent over hands on knees trying not to puke.

“Yah, do you think you’re funny!” Wonwoo exploded as he kicked the taller over, but this didn’t seem to faze him as he continued laughing. In all honesty, Wonwoo wasn’t even angry. He was just really really embarrassed. He’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t thought about it once or twice (or 100+) times. How was he not to think about it when he spent every day with a ‘gift sent from the gods’ (Mingyu’s words, not Wonwoo’s) but he was a professional adult who may or may not still watch cartoons but there’s nothing wrong with that, not a horny teenager, so he tried very hard to keep his hormones in check and he was not about to have it ruined by this idiot.

Like a child throwing a tantrum, Wonwoo stomped over to the bed and shook the sheets so the petals fell to the floor. (Just like Mingyu’s dreams of doing anything with Wonwoo that night.) He even jumped on them to ensure that Mingyu got the idea. Then, with a huff, he stripped out of his clothes and got under the covers, pulling them right over his head to hide his red face as he wished for the mattress to swallow him whole. Mingyu was still chuckling a minute later when he too slid under the covers, Wonwoo flinching as he felt the bed dip down with his added weight. Mingyu was like a walking furnace, his heat instantly turning the bed into a life-sized oven, only it brought comfort rather than an impending feeling of being cooked alive and Wonwoo had to resist the urge to shuffle backwards into Mingyu’s chest like how he slept every night.

Just as his eyes were starting to close, the bed started to shift again. Mingyu was shuffling over to Wonwoo’s side of the bed. The elder closed his eyes tighter, he suspected that Mingyu thought he was asleep and was curious as to what the younger would do.

Slowly, as if he were sneaking into MI5, Mingyu slithered up to Wonwoo’s side so they were in a spooning position and lay his right arm over the elder, protectively almost. Placing a soft kiss to the elder’s crown he whispered, “Good night, Wonwoo.”

 _Good night, Mingyu._ He smiled, and swiftly fell asleep. 

 

 

 

Wonwoo woke up. His long eyelashes fluttering as he adjusted to the sudden influx of light. It was nice not having to wake up to the sound of an alarm and a feeling of dread for the work day to come. He went to stretch before realising that he couldn’t, he was tightly locked in Mingyu’s arms. At some point whilst they’d been sleeping, Wonwoo had turned over so they were chest to chest, Mingyu’s rising and falling rhythmically as he slumbered on.

He leant his head back slowly, so he wouldn’t wake the younger up as he stared at his face.  

He wondered how lucky he must be to have found a boyfriend so handsome. The younger’s black hair had grown out since they’d dyed it, the ends of his fringe falling over his eyes just slightly. Mingyu’s plump lips were parted, letting out soft snores that had become Wonwoo’s personal lullaby after the past couple months. When he looked closer, he saw a thin line of drool falling from the corner of his lips and had to bite his own lip to stifle a giggle.

“Are you having fun staring at my face?”

His eyes widened. _Shit, I’ve been caught._ Wonwoo wasn’t proud of the noise he made after that.

“Erm…” he stammered, his cheeks heating up as he glanced at the younger who had now opened one eye to peer sleepily at his embarrassed boyfriend.

Mingyu chuckled. The sound low and sexy as his throat was still laced with sleep.

“You know, people usually have to pay to see something as beautiful as me.” He smirked and Wonwoo frowned.

In typical Mingyu fashion, he just had to open his mouth and ruin the moment. 

Wonwoo rolled out of Mingyu’s arms so his pale back was facing the younger and pulled the covers over his head, just as he had last night.

“Wonwoo~” Mingyu whined. “Don’t be like that.” He tugged gently at the cloth barrier but Wonwoo just clutched at it tighter. “Fine. Be like that.” He huffed before his weight left the bed and Wonwoo could breathe out again. 

 

Wonwoo took a couple moments to calm his heart and his cheeks before leaving his improvised cave. He quickly threw on a top he found on the floor, realising with a sigh when it reached his thighs that it was Mingyu’s, and walked quietly into the main area, the smell of fried eggs luring him.

And sure enough, stood over the cooker with his back to Wonwoo was a shirtless Mingyu. Wonwoo wasn’t sure what was more appetising: the smell of cooking which was causing his hungry stomach to rumble or the sight of Mingyu’s tanned back muscles flexing as he busied himself around the kitchen.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier that you have to pay?”

Wonwoo froze. He’d been caught again. But he decided to play it cool.

Letting out a loud yawn and an overexaggerated stretch he said, “What are you talking about? I just woke up.”

Shameless. Mingyu shook his head at his boyfriend’s actions but decided to let him keep his pride.

Wonwoo offered to help but Mingyu finally turned around with a reassuring smile and told him that it was okay as he was almost finished.

Soon, the couple was sat around the small table which was full of food. Mingyu had made kimchi jjigae with pork and fried eggs and rice for side dishes. Unknowingly, a smile had appeared on Wonwoo’s face just from seeing the tantalising meal laid in front of him. Mingyu’s cooking was seriously amazing! It was so good he could open a restaurant, and he didn’t just think this because he wore love tinted glasses. He couldn’t imagine himself eating anything that wasn’t made by Mingyu’s hand, unless it was a burger… or pastry from Jasmines. (Those were his only exceptions.) With a gleam in his eyes, Wonwoo tucked in and Mingyu watched him with a happy smile. 

 

The couple (or rather, Mingyu) had decided to go for a hike that day because they were in the mountains and when else would they have a chance like this and climbing up the stairs at work doesn’t count.

A very reluctant Wonwoo was staring up towards the tip of the small mountain, his eyes crossing over as he suffered from a bout of dizziness just thinking about all the exercise he’d have to do that day. He sighed. He’d already given up. His legs already ached and his breath was already short. He sighed again.

“Are you going to stand there sighing all day, Wonwoo, or are you going to get a move on?” Mingyu urged, an impatient strain to his smile as he looked at the older man over his shoulder. Mingyu and Wonwoo obviously didn’t share the same level of enthusiasm for the little excursion but despite this, Wonwoo couldn’t help but think that Mingyu looked really cute in his shorts and his climbing rucksack and maybe that’s what spurred him into moving and following behind the innocently beaming younger.

They had been hiking for an hour and Wonwoo’s legs were ready to give out on him. He was struggling to comprehend the fact that people did this for fun. FUN! What was fun about simultaneously not being able to feel your legs yet having them be as heavy as lead? Each step felt like the soles of his feet had been pricked with at least ten needles, the pain shooting up from that spot like lightning. It also didn’t help that Mingyu had ridiculously long legs and was climbing without any sign of trouble, making the elder feel like he should take Soonyoung up on that offer he gave to join his gym.

“Can…. can we take…a break please,” Wonwoo panted as he sat on a large rock nearby. It was very damaging to his pride, showing Mingyu just how unfit he was. He had tried to keep up but it just wasn’t happening.

The younger chuckled, an amused smile on his face as he stood in front of his boyfriend with a proffered water bottle which the other gratefully took but not without firstly glaring at him for laughing at his pain.

“Wonwoo, it’s all those burgers you eat.” Wonwoo didn’t need Mingyu to tell him that. He knew why he was so unfit. That didn’t mean he was about to stop eating them anytime soon.

“Well, who’s the one who’s always making them for me?” he countered.

“What am I supposed to do?” Mingyu pouted. “You look so cute and happy when you eat them.” He beamed when the elder flushed at the comment. “Should we go now?” he said, standing up with a peppy bounce, Wonwoo inwardly sighed at how much energy the other still had. He’d always protested when Kwon and Jun had called him an old man but maybe they were right.

Something shook in front of Wonwoo’s face, sparing him from his dejected thoughts. When he looked up he found that Mingyu was holding his hand out, his fingers wiggling invitingly. “Let’s go together.” That seemed to brighten Wonwoo’s mood as his dull eyes lit up a little and he took the younger’s hand, the latter giving it a small squeeze before the couple set off together.

Wonwoo had to admit, it was a lot easier going up with Mingyu beside him. The younger chatted non-stop which was a good distraction from how much his feet were hurting. He was even beginning to appreciate the fresh air he was trying to discreetly fill his lungs with (Mingyu didn’t need to know how out of breath he still was). _Maybe it is better than city air_ , he mused, _Mingyu was right._ He was now able to appreciate their hike.

The couple soon found themselves on narrower pathways as they neared the peak of the small mountain. These paths were less worn down, less travelled.

“Be careful Wonwoo, it’s really rocky.” Mingyu warned. The younger was a couple steps ahead of him as the paths only allowed one person to fit. Wonwoo hummed his acknowledgment, his movements slower and more cautious so he wouldn’t trip. The ground was sandier and more rock than actual solid ground.

Despite how careful Wonwoo was being, his foot landed on a loose rock, the stone breaking away from the ground and taking his foot with it. Wonwoo yelped, his arms flailing as he fell backwards. His life flashing before his eyes. It had had its ups and downs but Wonwoo was content. He’d met great people. Had an experience he doubted many people in the world could say they’d shared. Wonwoo closed his eyes, waiting for the impact of the floor against his skull to crack it open like an egg.

But it never happened.

Just as quickly as Wonwoo had fallen, Mingyu had reacted by grabbing the elder’s arms and pulling him tightly to his body.

Wonwoo cracked an eye open. _I’m still alive?_ Opening both eyes, Wonwoo tilted his head back and looked into Mingyu’s eyes, filled with nothing but concern.

“Are you okay, Wonwoo?”

Too stunned to speak, Wonwoo just nodded.

Thank God for Mingyu’s fast reflexes. He’d saved him. In more ways than one.

Wonwoo didn’t realise before just how hard he’d fallen. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do without Mingyu in his life. He was such an integral part of it now. He didn’t want Mingyu, he **needed** Mingyu. Without him he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t live. He’d go back to feeling that special kind of empty he was before any of this happened. The one where he ghosted through life, deriving only little pleasure from things outside of his friends or family.

“We should go back.” Mingyu stated rather than suggested.

Because the elder was still pretty shaken, the journey back was travelled on Mingyu’s back, Wonwoo saying constantly that he was sorry for ruining their hike and Mingyu brushing each apology off because he was just glad the other wasn’t hurt. 

Only once they’d stepped through the door did Mingyu put the other down. Wonwoo’s face was red with regret, shame and embarrassment.

“I’m sorry.” He apologised again.

Mingyu rolled his eyes, poking him on the cheek with his index finger. “Could you stop that. You didn’t ruin anything, so stop apologising. Aish so annoying.” Mingyu frowned playfully, trying to get the elder’s mood up and it worked as Wonwoo’s face scrunched up and he said, “Who are you ‘asih’ing? I’m your hyung.”

“Go and wash **hyung** , I’ll start dinner.” Mingyu said as he pushed the elder into the bathroom. 

 

When Wonwoo exited the bathroom, a cloud of steam exiting with him, he felt infinitely better. That warm bath had done him wonders, soaking out his tired, aching and overused muscles. It had also given him time to think. The businessman was towelling his hair dry as he stepped towards the kitchen where Mingyu was working. The house was hot so he only wore a t-shirt and boxers, already ready for bed. Mingyu hadn’t gotten changed yet.

“What are we having tonight?” Wonwoo asked, tip-toeing to peer over the other’s shoulder. Believe it or not, near death experiences could make you pretty hungry.

“Samgyeopsal.” He answered.

Wonwoo started to salivate and his stomach did a happy flip. He loved Samgyeopsal!

He helped Mingyu set the table with all the side dishes and the grill, happily sitting with his legs crossed after he’d finished with a smile on his face as he watched Mingyu put the first piece of pork on the hot grill, the meat immediately starting to sizzle as it cooked and churned Wonwoo’s stomach with its mouth-watering smell. The sizzling and the delicious smell only got stronger as more pieces were added and Wonwoo had to stop himself from just eating it -he saw no point in getting food poisoning and cutting their trip short.

In what felt like forever, the first piece of meat was ready and Wonwoo eagerly snatched it up with his chopsticks and wrapped it in a salad leaf before stuffing it in his mouth, his eyes rolling back as he hummed appreciatively.

It was so good. So so good.

He ignored Mingyu’s pig comment as he continued to stuff his face, not even caring when Mingyu began to feed him even though he definitely wasn’t a baby who needed his help.

Suffice to say, the food was gone pretty quickly.

Wonwoo leaning back with a content smile as he pat his full tummy.

“I’m gonna go and bath now, Wonwoo.” Mingyu said before disappearing into the bathroom.

Wonwoo lazed around for about another minute before he cleaned up the plates, washing them too and headed to the bedroom. 

 

Wonwoo must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew he was being woken up by the covers shifting under him. He blinked, his bleary eyes making out the shape of Mingyu frozen with the corner of the covers clutched in his right hand.

“Shit,” he heard the younger curse. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay,” Wonwoo assured, sitting up with a final yawn. “I was just napping anyways.”

Mingyu appeared happier with that knowledge, visibly relaxing as he climbed under the covers soon joined by Wonwoo. The couple laid down so they were facing each other, both with stupid grins on their faces as they childishly played footsie beneath the covers. Their giggling increased as the game got more violent before it resulted in Mingyu rolling off the bed and releasing a short cry as he did so.

Wonwoo gasped, quickly crawling to the edge of the bed and peering over with a guilty look. “Are you okay?” he asked, genuinely concerned for his boyfriend’s well-being as he had landed with a pretty loud thump.

The younger groaned in response which only made Wonwoo worry more. He just couldn’t do anything right today. “I think I’m hurt,” Mingyu said and Wonwoo instantly started to calculate how far it was to the nearest hospital. “I think I need you to kiss it better.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“You’re an ass.”

Wonwoo glared at him before moving back to his side of the bed, Mingyu’s loud laughter filling the room and not stopping until the younger had climbed into the bad again, the sound slowly trailing off into a soft chuckle.

“Are you finished?” Wonwoo said, not amused at all.

Mingyu let out one final bark of laughter before turning his glittering eyes to Wonwoo. “All done.”

_Good._

Wonwoo said nothing as he suddenly climbed onto the younger’s lap, the latter’s eyes widening comically as he spluttered out a “What the hell are you doing?”

“Didn’t you ask me to kiss it better?” Wonwoo blinked, tilting his head to the side to add extra innocence when truly he was dying of laughter on the inside. Mingyu made a point of flirting with him but it looked like he couldn’t take what he dished out as he’d coloured to an almost beetroot red.

**(If you're not interested in reading smut then I suggest you stop here)**

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“That’s not what I meant.” He bleated.

“Oh,” Wonwoo tilted his head further. “Then what else does ‘I need you to kiss it better’ mean. I’m really dumb so you’re gonna have to spell it out for me.”

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu whined, covering his face with his arms. He was squirming now, which wasn’t exactly helping the situation. “Stop teasing me.”

“You tease **me** all the time!” he argued. “You did it just yesterday.”

“Wait,” Mingyu moved his arms from his face, sitting up a little. “Is that what this is about? Wonwoo, I was just playing with you, please don’t feel pressured to do-”

Mingyu was cut off by the press of Wonwoo’s lips against his.

Honestly speaking, Wonwoo had wanted to tease him for a while longer because his reaction was so cute but he was so overcome with pride when Mingyu had been concerned for whether Wonwoo was feeling pressured and he knew it was a stupid thing to feel so prideful of because if your significant other wasn’t concerned about how you felt about matters such as this then their ass needed to be on the street in the next minute, but it had still touched him.

When they broke apart, Mingyu still looked just as confused as he had before causing Wonwoo to chuckle softly.

“You cute idiot,” he murmured quietly, mostly to himself as his thumb brushed Mingyu’s cheek. “I wasn’t pressured by your stupid pranks and teasing, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.” It was Wonwoo’s turn to blush now as he fiddled with the hem of ~~his~~ Mingyu’s t-shirt. “I just could never find the right moment… but being here. With you. Right now. It feels right.” He finished with much difficulty.

Silence stretched in the room and Wonwoo became hyper aware of his surroundings. The low light due to it being dark outside. The sound of his heart beating rapidly in his chest, trying to leap out of his throat. The warmth caused by the younger’s hands on his waist.

 _SHIT!_ He yelled internally. _I’ve fucked up. Why isn’t he saying anything? He doesn’t want it, doesn’t want me. He was just flirting, Wonwoo you idiot, he doesn’t want to go this far. I’ve ruined everything._

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu said.

Had his voice always sounded so sexual when he said that?

Wonwoo was unresponsive, so Mingyu squeezed his waist to get his attention. It worked. Wonwoo’s black orbs snapped to Mingyu from where they’d been staring blankly at the wall above his head.

“I want it too, Wonwoo.” He confessed. “I-I want you.” 

Like the invisible tether line that had been holding them apart was severed, the pair surged towards each other, their lips connecting in the centre harshly but neither of them minded the pain as their lips moulded together perfectly, as they had before, but this time it was different. The passion they held for each other had been uncapped and the bottle tipped over.

Mingyu’s hands moved from Wonwoo’s slim waist beneath his shirt and up his back, his long fingers fanning out across the pale expanse of his skin as he pressed the elder closer to him, both letting out a soft groan as their growing bulges brushed against each other. Wonwoo involuntarily tugging on Mingyu’s black hair which he’d laced his fingers through earlier, drawing out a hiss of pain from the younger as they continued to make out like horny teenagers, teeth clashing and tongues being shoved anywhere it pleased them.

It was unbearably hot.

The windows had already fogged up and it had barely been five minutes.

Mingyu tugged at Wonwoo’s t-shirt, the latter got the message and reluctantly released Mingyu’s bottom lip from between his teeth so he could pull the top over his head but as soon as the offending cloth was out of the way they were together again, the force at which Wonwoo attacked him with this time sending him onto his back.

Wonwoo’s bulge was pressing insistently against Mingyu’s which was just as engorged as his due to all their humping.

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu spoke into their kiss.

“What?” Wonwoo glared, pissed to have been disturbed.

“This is fun and all, making out like amateurs in a porno, but you’re very hot and I’m very turned on and not sure how much longer I’m gonna last.”

 _Oh._ Mingyu made a good point. Wonwoo certainly didn’t want to be cumming in his boxers for their first time so he took action. 

He sat up once again, the moonlight catching the sweat on his body in a way that made him glow.

Mingyu licked his lips.

Wonwoo firstly removed his boxer shorts and then Mingyu’s, his eyes widening as he gasped softly.

He.

Was.

Huge.

“Erm…”

“I know,” he smirked.

“How…inside me?”

“We’ll make it work, don’t worry.”

Wonwoo’s lips pursed into a thin line of doubt. Whilst he hadn’t had any sexual contact in many **many** months, he was no virgin, and approaching this like one who’d never seen a dick before would do neither of them any good. It was time to show Mingyu that he wasn’t an old man who got tired quickly. 

He shuffled down the bed until his head was level with Mingyu’s hips. The younger seemed to get the idea of where this was going as the muscles in his thighs tensed up in anticipation. Wonwoo smirked. It was good to see that he had high expectations, _he should keep them that way._

Lighter than a feathers touch, Wonwoo trailed the tips of his nails up Mingyu’s thigh, enjoying the way the younger’s legs quivered. He pursed his lips and gently blew air on the head causing the dick to twitch and Mingyu to let out a whine as he squirmed.

“Wonwoo~. Don’t tease me.”

Wonwoo laughed, blowing the tip once more before poking out his pink tongue and dragging it from the base to the tip and taking his sweet time about it too. Before Mingyu had a chance to complain about the pace, Wonwoo engulfed the red head, sending the taller’s head falling back onto the pillow as Wonwoo suckled it for a bit before hollowing his cheeks and lowering himself further down the length, creating a delicious and hot friction against his cheeks.

“Shit,” Mingyu hissed out a curse as he clutched at the sheets. Where had Wonwoo learned how to give a blowjob like this? He was in far too much pleasure to be jealous right now. A string of constant moans left him as Wonwoo bobbed up and down, his hands threading through Wonwoo’s black hair to anchor himself so he wouldn’t go sailing off on the pleasure Wonwoo was giving him. But it was hard. Wonwoo was just too talented and Mingyu found himself drifting out to sea.

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum.” He warned, his fingers tightening as Wonwoo sucked harder till a final wave of pleasure washed over him and he came with a cry of the other’s name.

Wonwoo swallowed it all happily, cleaning the younger with his tongue before pulling off and sitting back on his heels, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he smirked with satisfaction at the sight of a wrecked Mingyu in front of him. The younger was panting as if he’d just run a marathon, his chest heaving up and down as he struggled to catch his breath. Wonwoo felt very pleased that he’d been the cause of the blissed-out expression on the other’s face, but he had a problem that needed dealing with. 

Like a pet vying for their owner’s attention, Wonwoo started to nibble at the junction between Mingyu’s thigh and his pelvis whilst he not so discreetly tried to relieve some of the pressure against the younger’s leg.

Mingyu groaned. He was still sensitive and Wonwoo’s hair was tickling his balls. He made a vague motion with his hands signalling the elder to stop.

Wonwoo sat up with a pout. “If you won’t take care of me then I’ll just go and deal with this myself.” He threatened, knowing he’d won when Mingyu opened his eyes with a frown and sighed.

“So needy.” He tutted and Wonwoo opened his mouth to protest, instead releasing a surprised yelp when the younger flipped their positions before leaning over him with eyes darkened with lust. His lips stretched into a predatory smirk, one Wonwoo recognised from beneath his mask. 

He gulped.

Mingyu raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong, Wonwoo? Scared?” The way he’d purred his name should be illegal. It was downright sinful and sent a chill down his spine.

“Lube?”

He shook his head.

“Condom?”

He shook it again.

“Did you bring anything?”

He shook his head.

“Then how do you expect me to-”

Mingyu was yanked down by Wonwoo’s grip in his hair.

“If you’re not in me in the next two minutes, I’m going to Cut. It. Off.” He warned. “You want lube? Then here.” He grabbed Mingyu’s fingers and stuffed them in his mouth, Mingyu’s own agape as he watched the elder suck on them lewdly as he did his best to cover every inch of the surface in spit. 

Wonwoo then released his wrist to hook his hands under his knees as he lay down and spread his legs.

Mingyu was frozen. Never did he think the elder could be this…this… He struggled to find the words to describe, but he liked it.

“Gyu, do I need to hold your hand and guide you?”

“Huh?” Was Wonwoo mocking him in the middle of sex? The elder clearly wasn’t taking him seriously. Mingyu would show him.

His eyes narrowing with determination, the younger moved closer, bending over so he had a better view of what he was about to do.

Carefully, he circled the rim, spreading Wonwoo’s spit before he pushed against the tight ring of muscles, having to apply quite a bit of pressure before it gave way and his middle finger was enveloped by a tight heat.

Wonwoo groaned softly as Mingyu’s finger pushed in. It had really been a long time and he was impossibly tight.

“I’m not hurting you, am I?” Mingyu asked, concerned by the little grunts the other was letting out. He wanted their first time to be perfect for Wonwoo.

“It’s fine,” he whimpered, his eyebrows were furrowed with concentration as Mingyu added another finger, working the two in and out in a scissoring motion as he stretched the elder, it eventually becoming easier to push the two fingers in as Wonwoo’s grunts turned into soft moans. Wonwoo’s moans were different to what Mingyu had expected, they were higher pitched, light and airy, so cute and a stark contrast to his usual deep voice. Mingyu loved it and the sound travelled straight to his dick which was slowly starting to wake up again.

After five minutes (which was more than two but Wonwoo was luckily too lost in pleasure to remember his earlier threat), Wonwoo had worked himself up to three fingers and was now wriggling around, fucking himself on his fingers, and begging Mingyu to put it in.

So he did.

Mingyu kneeled, spitting on his hand and spreading it on his dick as make-shift lube. He checked one last time if it was okay before putting his head to the rim and slowly, so he didn’t hurt the elder, pushing in, both moaning loudly as Wonwoo was stretched. There was a big difference between Mingyu’s fingers and his cock. Mingyu was fascinated by how Wonwoo’s little hole opened up, he’d thought it impossible for Wonwoo to take anything more than his fingers but look at him, taking it like a champ, only frowning slightly in discomfort. 

Patiently, Mingyu waited for Wonwoo to give him a signal that he was ready, running his hands up and down the other’s pale and toned thighs to distract him from the fact that Wonwoo’s hole was trying to swallow him whole as it twitched and pulsed around him.

“M-Move.” Wonwoo forced out, his voice high-strung and tight, and Mingyu didn’t have to be told twice.

Holding the other’s waist to steady himself, Mingyu leisurely pulled backwards, groaning as Wonwoo’s walls clung to him like he’d been wrapped in a tight blanket. He’d never felt pleasure like this before. Not even that moment when the fight died in a victim’s eyes could compare to this. Just as slowly as he’d pulled out, he pushed in again, bottoming out with a pleasured sigh. Gradually, he built up a rhythm until he was rocking into Wonwoo at a medium pace. 

“Fuck,” Wonwoo cried, his eyes rolling back as he bit his lip. “Faster, please.” He begged.

“You’ve got it.” Mingyu winked before moving his hands from Wonwoo’s waist to his knees where he hooked them over his arms, leaning forward and causing his dick to go even deeper. Mingyu liked this new position. It put him closer to Wonwoo’s face so he could see every bit of pleasure that crossed Wonwoo’s face and feel proud in the fact that he caused that. 

Mingyu quickly returned to the pace they were at previously. The sound of his pelvis hitting Wonwoo’s arse cheeks filled the room along with their moans. Sweat dripped from their hair, making the slide of their chests against each other even more slippery.

“Oh my gosh!” Wonwoo suddenly yelled, his back arching off the bed, his eyes and mouth were blown wide open as his nails dug into Mingyu’s arms, surely leaving little red crescents behind. “Fuck,” he panted, “Again. Do that again.”

Mingyu smirked. He’d found it.

Leaning up again, so he had better leverage, Mingyu began to pound into that special bundle of nerves repeatedly, each hit forcing a loud moan out of Wonwoo who was silently thanking God that they were in the middle of nowhere otherwise he would die from embarrassment. He wasn’t sure how much more of this abuse against his prostate he could take. The heat was pooling in his stomach and he was very close to blowing. Mingyu seemed to be able to tell as he picked up the pace even more, the bed rocking noisily into the wall. 

“Shit, I’m gonna cum.” Wonwoo warned, fucking down onto Mingyu’s cock as he met every thrust.

“Me too.” Mingyu choked. “Let’s cum together.”

It only took a couple more thrusts before white exploded behind Wonwoo’s eyes, his body lifting off the bed once again as his cock came untouched, spurting his cum all over their chests. Mingyu didn’t last much longer either due to Wonwoo’s walls becoming suffocatingly tight as he’d cum, and he came deep within the elder with his name on his lips as he buried his head in Wonwoo’s neck. 

The couple just lay like that for a while. The sound of their panting filling the room until Wonwoo pushed at Mingyu’s shoulder.

“You’re too heavy, get off.” He whined, hissing from over-sensitivity when Mingyu pulled out and fell down next to him. The younger wrapped his arms around Wonwoo’s tired body and pulled him to his chest, placing a soft kiss on the crown of his head.

“I love you, Wonwoo.”

“I love you too, Mingyu.”

And Wonwoo fell asleep with a smile on his face and a warmth in his heart because it was true. He really did love Mingyu. 

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

 

 

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**(It's over now. Safe to read from here. )**

A Squirm.

A groan.

And squirm once again.

Who was pointing a light in his face?

And why the hell was it so hot and sticky?

“Good morning, beautiful.” Mingyu purred into Wonwoo’s hair as he tightened his arms around the smaller man and nuzzled his messy black hair _. So that’s what the heat was._

Wonwoo felt the younger’s smile widen as he replied, “Hey, handsome” his voice husky from his sore throat. Mingyu seemed to like the nickname as he laughed, his head thrown back and sharp canines exposed as he rolled them over so he was flat on his back, Wonwoo lying face down on his chest.

The room was stuffed with their scent and it brought a content smile to Wonwoo’s face.

“What do you want to do today, babe?”

 _Babe._ Normally Wonwoo would have punched him for calling him that but he was in too good a mood to pretend he didn’t like it. “I don’t know, but for obvious reasons I’m in a lazy mood so if we could avoid anything with a lot of movement, I’d appreciate it.”

“For obvious reasons? I’m really dumb so you’re gonna have to spell it out for me?”

Wonwoo sat up by pressing his hand into Mingyu’s chest, pressing his palm down especially hard and feeling a great deal of satisfaction when the younger’s cheeky grin turned into a soft hiss of pain. Served him right.

“Ahh,” he whined, “okay, okay I get it now.”

Wonwoo smirked in triumph before lowering himself back down (gently this time) to rest his head on the other’s chest.

“Why don’t we go to the lake? It is our last day and it would be a shame to leave without seeing it.” he suggested.

Wonwoo considered it. That didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. 

 

After a long bath and a quick breakfast (more like lunch as it was that late), the couple dressed themselves in a comfortable outfit of t-shirt and jeans and packed a bag with snacks to eat whilst they were there.

Luckily for Wonwoo, the lake wasn’t that far from the Hanok and it wasn’t a problem anyways as Mingyu had carried him on his back just like he had after the previous day’s hike. Mingyu took them to a great spot. It was grassy and soft to sit on. Away from the ports and fisherman but not so far they didn’t have a clear view of the lake. They settled for a position that was comfortable for the two of them, one that had proven its worth. Mingyu sat with his back against a tree and his legs open wide as Wonwoo slot into the space, the former’s arms coming to rest loosely around the latter’s waist. Wonwoo sighed happily as he leaned into Mingyu’s chest. Sat like this, it was just like they were watching the view back home on a TV.

And what a view it was.

The lake was surrounded by small green mountains, almost identical to the one they’d climbed yesterday. The sun was glowing high in the sky now but as it was just past midday, it had begun its decent behind the tops of the trees, its light still managed to reach the shiny surface of the lake, causing the candy coloured water to shimmer prettily as the breeze pushed it back and forth. It was beautiful. Wonwoo found his breathing started to match the pace of the waves as the pair fell into a comfortable silence, Mingyu only breaking it every so often to make a random comment that made Wonwoo laugh at his stupidity.

The calming atmosphere allowed Wonwoo to delve into his thoughts.

He was so thankful to Mingyu for bringing him here. For the past week, he’d done nothing but anticipate this trip, the first trip where it was just him and Mingyu, and it had met his expectations. Exceeded them. It was the perfect distraction. He hadn’t thought about nosey cops, dead bodies or missing roommates. It was as if the past couple months hadn’t happened. Like it was all a dream and the reality of it all was that he’d continued with his life, his boring office job and annoying best friends and somehow met Mingyu along the way. Right now, it was like they were on their own secluded island where the dark ocean of events that was Wonwoo’s current life couldn’t touch them. It was still there, lapping at the shore, but the waves were unable to reach them in the centre.

It was bliss. Ignorant bliss. But bliss all the same and Wonwoo was at peace. 

 

That night, Wonwoo was in the bedroom packing their bags, a sad smile on his face, when Mingyu came up behind him and hung his limp frame over his back.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured into Wonwoo’s ear.  

“I don’t want to go.” He whined, his bottom lip pushing out into a pout as he continued to fold the clothes they’d used but stuff it into the bag with little care, effectively undoing the work he’d done folding them.

Mingyu laughed. “I’m sorry, Wonwoo, but you’re an adult who has to go back to adulting.” He replied which only made Wonwoo whine again as he stomped his foot like a child. 

He knew he had to go back to being a responsible adult who did adult things like going to work but he didn’t want to.

He was free here.

Free from all that responsibility that being an adult in 2014 came with.

Free from the stress of reading legal documents or paying rent.

Or having to worry about when Yoon was going to show up on his doorstep next.

He sighed.

Wonwoo really didn’t want to go. 


	28. Chapter 19

Wonwoo was woken up by an insistent prodding. He groaned lowly, waving an arm wildly in the hope of hitting the source, a small smile gracing his lips when his hand connected with a warm surface which was followed by a pained yelp. Happy that the distraction was gone, Wonwoo snuggled into the sheets and attempted to re-enter dreamland… only to have his nose scrunch up in irritation a minute later when the prodding to his cheek resumed. With a growl, Wonwoo snapped, grabbing the finger and bending it back harshly as his eyes opened to glare at the younger who was crying out in pain whilst trying to pry Wonwoo’s grip from his middle finger.

“Ow,” he cried. “Ow, Wonwoo. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll stop, okay?” he begged, cradling his red finger to his chest after Wonwoo released it. “That really hurt,” he pouted.

If his aim was to get Wonwoo’s sympathy, it didn’t work as the elder replied with, “Good. It was supposed to,” which only made Mingyu’s pout deepen.

“What were you doing anyways?” Wonwoo questioned, his back was now against the headboard and his arms folded across his bare chest.

Mingyu shifted to mirror his position, their crossed knees touching. “You looked so cute while you were sleeping. I wanted to pinch your cheeks,” he confessed with a chuckle, “I’m glad I didn’t.”

“You should be,” he mumbled, but there was no threat to it. He sighed. Oh well, seeing as he was up, he might as well start getting ready so they could leave before the roads got busy. The less people there were, the less likely he was to cause an accident.

With a heavy heart, Wonwoo left the warmth of the bed to bath and get dressed. He was thankfully finding it much easier to move around than he had the previous day. Together, they cleaned the Hanok so it was as if they’d never been there and loaded the car with their stuff. Stood by the car, Wonwoo took one last look at the Hanok which had been his safe haven for the past couple days. He was sad to be leaving, dreading what he’d have to return to in Seoul but as he looked on the fond memories he’d made there, he realised, with a happy heart, that it wasn’t the small traditional house, the isolation from his problems, which had comforted him but rather a certain black haired puppy who he assumed wouldn’t be leaving him any time soon. Wonwoo was no longer as upset about having to leave as he had been and with a content expression, opened the driver’s door and got in, buckling his seat belt before exchanging a look with Mingyu.

“Ready?” The younger asked and Wonwoo nodded.

With Mingyu by his side, he was ready for anything.

…

Except… maybe not this.

“What the fuck?” he cursed as the engine refused to turn on. Wonwoo pushed the start engine button on the automatic car again but all he caused was the engine to splutter and cough up black smoke like it had been a heavy smoker for 40+ years, not even using the car key to start it helped.

He sighed, slumping in his seat with frustration. It was just his luck for things to already be going wrong before he even got to Seoul.

“If it’s any consolation,” Mingyu placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “it’s not like you wanted to leave anyways.” He offered and Wonwoo broke out into a small smile.

He hadn’t wanted to leave, but that didn’t mean he wanted to neglect his duties either -he was an executive after all.

Seeing that Wonwoo was still unhappy about their delayed departure, Mingyu suggested, “How about I go down to the port and see if there’s anyone there that can help us?”

Wonwoo pursed his lips. It’s not like they had any other options. He agreed and Mingyu told him to go and eat breakfast which they’d neglected in favour of leaving early.

 

 

Wonwoo was sat on the front steps humming quietly to himself as he ate his third packet of crisps. He knew that they weren’t really the greatest option for breakfast and that the younger would probably chastise him for it later, but he really couldn’t be bothered to cook. So, he ate the snacks as he waited for Mingyu to come back, the younger returning thirty minutes later.

Wonwoo frowned as Mingyu walked up to him. It didn’t look like good news.

“So…” Mingyu started, “the bad news is that no one down there knows how to fix it.” Wonwoo sighed. “But the good news is that they’ve called someone who does.”

 _That’s not too bad,_ Wonwoo thought. He didn’t mind having to wait a couple more hours.

“He can’t get here until tomorrow.”

And just like that, Wonwoo’s bubble of hope burst. His eyes closing as he fell back and released a heavy sigh.

“Don’t be so upset,” Mingyu encouraged, “you get to spend more time with me.”

“I can do that in Seoul.” He huffed from beneath his arms which had taken solace over his face.

“Geez, way to make a guy feel wanted.” Mingyu chuckled.

Wonwoo knew that he was joking but he still felt guilty. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He mumbled, rubbing at the nape of his neck.

Mingyu chuckled again, pulling Wonwoo up and into a hug as he rested his chin on the shorter’s head. “I know. You’re just frustrated. Rather than being Grumpy all day, Grumpy Mc. Grumpykines-”

“I’m not being grumpy.” Wonwoo’s muffled protest rumbled up from where his head was buried in Mingyu’s chest.

“Rather than you being grumpy,” he chose to ignore the elder, “shouldn’t we make our extra day happy and relaxing?”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes. The younger was right… he supposed. He couldn’t change the fact that his car had broken down or that they were going to have to spend an extra night so he might as well just go with it and not soil the good memories they’d made with his negative attitude.

“I’ll stop being a Grumpy Mc. Grumpykines.” Wonwoo accepted begrudgingly.

“Good.” Mingyu beamed, giving him a peck on his temple.

 

 

“I know it’s unprofessional.” Wonwoo sighed. “Look I only need you to cover me for one extra day, just one.”

“You don’t have to beg, Wonwoo. You know I’ll cover for you anyways.”

“Thanks Jun.” Wonwoo smiled with relief at the phone.

“What happened anyways, did your train get cancelled?”

Wonwoo flushed. His foot started to tap nervously, knowing that Junhui wasn’t going to like what he said next. “The car broke down.”

“The car?” Junhui’s confused voice cackled through the phone. “You had someone drive you up there?”

“Not exactly…” he rubbed at his nape.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” Junhui’s voice was low and heavy with disappointment. Wonwoo felt like he was being scolded by his parents. “Did you drive up there yourself?”

“We didn’t have any other option!” he rushed to explain himself. “Mingyu doesn’t know how to drive and at least-”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear any more. I’ll cover for you, but I’m not happy about it. Just make sure you find your ass to work on Wednesday.” And with that, Junhui hung up, Wonwoo releasing a deep sigh.

“What happened?” Mingyu asked as Wonwoo relaxed back into his hold, Mingyu’s warmth already having the desired calming effect.

“He’s covering but he ain’t happy about it.” Wonwoo sighed. Hearing how disappointed Jun was had made him disappointed in himself. It was so reckless, what he’d done. Someone could have gotten hurt.

“Cheer up, babe.” Mingyu squeezed his arms around him. “If he’s upset with you, you can make it better when we get back. And even if you don’t, we both know he’ll forgive you no matter what.”

Wonwoo turned in his arms to give the younger a disapproving glare. It wasn’t right for him to imply that Wonwoo should use the other’s feelings for him against him. Regardless of how he felt, Junhui was his best friend and Wonwoo would never take advantage of him.

“Alright,” Mingyu held up his hands in surrender. “I take it back.” He re-settled his arms around Wonwoo when the other turned back around “So, what do we do for the rest of the day?”

“Eat?”

That didn’t sound like a bad idea. 

 

Wonwoo prayed that they didn’t get stuck there another day because Mingyu had used up all their remaining food cooking a big spectacular final dinner which Wonwoo had eagerly wolfed down.

It must have been the full stomach, because Wonwoo was feeling really tired and was struggling to pay attention to Mingyu who was enthusiastically describing the last _Kim Possible_ episode he’d watched.

“I think… I think I’m going to go to bed,” Wonwoo said, standing up slowly and taking a couple seconds to steady himself as his head spun. “I’m sorry I can’t help you with the dishes.”

“It’s okay, Wonwoo.” Mingyu smiled as he helped the elder into the bed. “Sleep tight.” He whispered, pulling the covers up and kissing his forehead before turning off the lights and leaving. 

 

 

 

 

He groaned.

His brain tingled as if it were being sprinkled with razor sharp glitter.

Wonwoo shifted in the bed, unintentionally winding a cloth cocoon around himself that he became tangled in. He struggled. Lashing his arms and legs out, but that only caused him to become further ensnared in the woven trap.

“Calm down.” He heard a voice, Mingyu’s voice, and instantly relaxed. The younger pulled at the cloth, freeing Wonwoo from its restraint. Wonwoo felt his face heat up as he sat up slowly, he’d just made rather a spectacle of himself, wrestling with a piece of fabric.

It took him a moment to gather his bearing as he looked around the darkened room.                                                                 

Wait…

Why was it dark?

“Mingyu, what time is it? Didn’t the mechanic come?” Wonwoo worriedly asked as he looked out the window and saw a black sky looking back at him. He had more than over slept. “Oh my god, we need to get back to Seoul before I lose my job. Surely, someone at the docks will take us if we pay them.” Wonwoo threw open the covers and swung his legs over the edge, only to end up in a heap when his feet hit the floor and his knees buckled under him.

“Argh,” he cried out, managing to shoot his arms out just in time to stop his chin from hitting the floor. “My-my legs,” he cried. “Mingyu, I can’t feel my legs!”

Wonwoo first heard the creak of the bed, followed by the soft pad of Mingyu’s sock clad feet on the wooden floor before the younger crouched down into his vision.

“M-Mingyu, help me up,” Wonwoo reached out at the younger who took his hands and helped so he was now sat up with his back against the bed, his numb legs outstretched before him.

Mingyu crouched in front of him, a frown etched into his face.

“What should we do Gyu? How are we going to get home?” Wonwoo’s voice cracked as tears pricked at his eyes. “What are we going to do, Mingyu?”

“Hey, now” Mingyu spoke soothingly, his voice soft and tender like he was comforting a child. His large hand reached out to smooth down Wonwoo’s hair before trailing gently down his cheek, taking his tears along with it. Wonwoo unconsciously leaning into the soft caress. “Don’t cry. Everything will be okay. We were never going to go home to start with.”          

Wonwoo’s forehead creased with confusion. Had he just heard correctly? What the hell was Mingyu talking about? “What do you mean we were never going home to start with? Were you unable to find help? Are we stranded here?”

Mingyu chuckled lightly, his hand stroked Wonwoo’s cheek once more but the latter shied away from it. Something wasn’t right. Mingyu’s chuckle, in fact, his whole demeanour was unsettling.

“My dear Wonwoo, you were never going to leave this place.”

Before Wonwoo could process exactly what Mingyu had meant by that, a hard blow struck the side of his head and he blacked out.               

 

 

 

 

He groaned.

His head was pounding like he’d downed ten bottles of vodka the previous night.

He could vaguely feel the wetness of spit falling from his mouth, trailing down his chin towards his jawline, and tried to close it but couldn’t.

Like his mouth, his eyes were heavy, like they were being held down by five pairs of hands, but he fought to work them open.

However, his vision with his eyes open wasn’t any better. It was blurred due to the fog that rested behind the orbs. With one of his most important senses gone, Wonwoo started to panic.

“Mingyu,” he called out. Where was he? Why wasn’t he helping him? “Mingyu! Mingyu!” his cries becoming desperate. He couldn’t see and his movements were sluggish as if the gravity in the room had increased by ten. The more panicked he became, the more the ringing in his ears heightened in pitch until it became so shrill he was sure dogs could hear it.

What had happened?

Why was he feeling like this?

And where was Mingyu?

“Mingyu!” he called out again, even his own voice sounded foreign to his ears.

Somehow, Wonwoo was able to detect a shift in the dark around him. Like a plant to light, Wonwoo was drawn to the movement as it came closer to him. His body went rigid. Well… as rigid as it could which wasn’t very.

Danger was coming he knew that.

All kinds of alarm bells were going off.

He just hoped Mingyu would be able to save him in time.     

The padding of sock clad feet against the floor found his ears and triggered a memory. It was obscure, as if he were looking at it from beneath a body of water. Mingyu’s white teeth. They were saying something, but Wonwoo couldn’t work it out.

“Up already?”

_Mingyu._

Wonwoo’s head shot up. Faster than he thought he was currently capable of.

“M-Mingyu, wh-what’s going on?” he slurred, his tongue struggling to form syllables.

“Wonwoo, did you ever dabble with drugs because you are displaying fantastic resistance?” The question was asked with the nonchalance of someone asking why 1+1=2.

The businessman frowned as he tried to make sense of just what the fuck was going on. _Drugs? What the fuck is he talking about?_

“I doubt it. You’re such a good boy, Wonwoo.” The elder could hear the smile in his voice as he praised him. It was genuine.

“Whatever game this is Mingyu, s-stop it. I don’t want to play, I just want to go home.”            

_My dear Wonwoo, you were never going to leave this place._

A shuddered gasp racked through his body as he suddenly remembered everything.

“Y-You drugged the food.”

“Yes. Yes, I did. But you woke up too early, I think you ate too much and the food soaked a lot of it up. You’ve always had an appetite.”

“ **Have** an appetite,” he corrected. He wasn’t dead. But what upset Wonwoo was the prospect that, very soon, he would be.

Wonwoo’s face was wet from sweat and tears. He’d trusted him. He should have known. You don’t get to lay with the devil and come out sin free. He had knowingly harboured a criminal, knowingly fallen in love with him, and this was his punishment. Wonwoo had stupidly given him his all. His everything. He retched as he recalled just how much he’d given him a night ago. _I love you, Wonwoo._

“You…. YOU FUCKING LIAR!” He yelled at the dark. “You… you used me.” He spat bitterly.

“Hey, hey, hey,” familiar hands were suddenly on his face, lifting his head up so he came face to face with his lover and captor. “Don’t you **ever** say I used you.” He whispered, tilting Wonwoo’s head forward so his forehead met Mingyu’s lips. “I love you, okay.”

No. No, it wasn’t okay.

“People don’t do this to people they love, Mingyu. You used me. You used me to keep you hidden and then you used me to entertain yourself. This is all just one big game to you, isn’t it? ISN’T IT! This was the plan from the start, wasn’t it? You’d find your way into my life and like a fucking weed you sucked out all that was good with it until the only thing keeping it up was **you** , the same thing that was killing it.”

“You said it yourself, ‘I kill people because I like it. I get bored easily and it’s entertaining’. You’re bored of me now, you got everything you could have from me, so I guess it’s my time to go.”

Wonwoo should have been scared about how at peace he was with this. His fate. Maybe he’d been ready to die the moment he’d walked into that office and first locked eyes with the demon that was the Tooth Fairy.   

The lights suddenly being flicked on caused Wonwoo to wince from the influx of harsh lighting on his sensitive eyes, the headache firing up once again. The sound of something being scrapped along the floor came next until it stopped, and Mingyu plunked himself down on the chair less than an arm’s reach away from Wonwoo.       

“I love y-”    

“No, you don’t, stop saying that. I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”  

Mingyu lips twitched up into a small smile. “I do know what it means. It means that you’re what I think about when I first wake up in the morning and the last thing I think about before I fall asleep. It means that every little thing you do makes me feel warm inside (and for me, that’s a big feat), from blinking to the way your glasses fall down your nose when you’re reading or the way it wrinkles when you laugh. I love the fact that your speaking voice is so deep, so sexy, but it can get so high when you laugh, or when you _moan_. I love you because even though you thought I was a demon, and I can’t say I disagree with you, you still managed to see the human in me and fall in love with it.”

“After Minghao died, I didn’t think I’d be able to feel anything about another person. I was able to play with people’s lives so freely as if I were playing with action figures. But you changed that, Jeon Wonwoo. I feel for you. I **love** you.” 

_No._

“No. You don’t get to just sweet talk your way into my heart again.”

Mingyu scoffed. “Please. I never left.”

And it was true. Wonwoo was pissed that he was being played with like this, angry even. He felt used, exploited, like a reality star on the cover of every tabloid after a night out… but he still couldn’t hate the younger. Wonwoo thought that the Mingyu could slit the throats of his very best friends in front of him and he still wouldn’t hate him.

He was infected with his disease.

And too sick to cure.

 

“Do you know what I find funny?” Mingyu remarked, after five minutes of silence had sung between them. “The whole reason why you let me stay with you was for the safety of your friends but… when was the last time you asked about Seungcheol? The last time you even thought about him?”

Wonwoo’s head rose slowly. His eyes burning as they came to rest on the calm younger. “What did you do?”

“I killed him.”

Wonwoo wished so strongly that he wasn’t currently restrained to that chair.

“You promised me,” he growled. “YOU PROMISED ME! You said that if I let you live with me then you wouldn’t harm him.”

“Technically, I didn’t.”

_Here he goes with the fucking technicalities again._

“You did.” 

 

 

 

_Choi Seungcheol wasn’t scared._

_'Scared' wasn’t a word in his dictionary._

_Confused, however, was._

_Seungcheol was confused as to how he had ended up in this bedroom he’d never seen before in his life, when the last thing he remembered was keying in the passcode to his front door. He sat up. Beneath him was a single bed, simply furnished with a simple white sheet and a pillow. He tried to stand up but found that his left wrist was handcuffed to the head of the bed._

_He sighed. It looked like he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon._

_“Oh good, you’re awake.”_

_Seungcheol looked to the source of the voice and found him stood in the doorway. “What the fuck is going on?”_

_He held up a hand. “Now, now, Seungcheol I will tell you in good time, but firstly, do you like the place I got you.”_

_The student looked around. The room reminded him of Hansol’s dorm. Perhaps that’s where he was, in a dorm. “I don’t… I don’t understand.”_

_The other chuckled. “It’s simple really. You stay here, and I won’t harm Wonwoo.”_

_“Wonwoo?” He raised an eyebrow._

_“Yes Wonwoo: medium height, black hair, smart, gorgeous, your roommate.”_

_Seungcheol started laughing, his deep timbre filling the small place. “Is this a joke?”_

_“Do I sound like I’m fucking joking?”_

_Cheol stopped. His large eyes blinking once, before narrowing dangerously. “I don’t know who you think you’re talking to but-”_

_It was his kidnapper's turn to laugh._

_“I don’t know who **you** think you’re talking to but it will do you, and Wonwoo, a lot of good if you keep your cool and listen to me.” His voice was low and no matter how much he was pissing Seungcheol off at that moment, he could hear the danger and decided to stand down… for now. _

_“We’re going to play a game, and it’s called **How much does Choi Seungcheol’s friends care about him.** See, you may not have noticed this yet but there’s a device strapped to your ankle.”_

_Seungcheol looked down, and sure enough, there was a metal thing wrapped tightly around his ankle._

_“That’s connected to your phone and it picks up when you receive messages or phone calls. Your phone’s in that desk draw by the way. You better hope that you get at least one text or call every other day or else that blows. If you try to leave this apartment, it blows. If you try to tell anyone where you are or the situation you’re in, it blows. And believe me when I tell you that I’ll know if you do.” He explained, smirking when he saw Cheol’s sceptical look. “You don’t believe me? Go ahead, send a text message.”_

_Seungcheol eyed him suspiciously but retrieved his phone from the bedside desk nevertheless. He thought for a moment about what to do. He could call the police but he’d probably be dead by the time they got here. For now, he should just continue to play along. He sent a quick text to Junhui, thanking him for taking care of Wonwoo, a tear unknowingly escaping his eye as he realised he’d probably never see him again._

_Not even a second later, Cheol’s phone beeped with a text alert and his captors did the same. His face paled._

_“Nifty, don’t you think? Our phones are connected, I can see everything you do, hear every phone conversation.”_

_He was so screwed._

_“The fridge is stocked and I’ll bring more food when it runs out”_

_“Why are you doing this?”_

_“I also brought some of your music equipment for you so you don’t get bored. Aren’t I thoughtful?” He smiled, patting himself on the back for a job well done._

_“Why are you doing this?”_

_“You can try and alert the neighbours but I think you and I both know I’m not stupid enough to leave you somewhere where-”_

_“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?” His veins were popping out and every muscle in his body locked tight as tears cascaded from his eyes. He was probably never going to see his family again._

_“I thought that was obvious,” he chuckled, “I want to get closer to Wonwoo.”_

_And with that, he shut the door behind him, the sound of the lock clicking loud in the small room._

_The handcuff released itself, and Seungcheol rubbed at the sore red band running around his wrist._

 

 

_“Hey Cheol, I’m back.” Mingyu called as he opened the door, plastic bags of fresh food in hand._

_“Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that.” Seungcheol spat. The elder was sat at his desk with a keyboard a top it, music sheets were strewn around him, showing that he was working on something important._

_“Fine. Be like that.” Mingyu huffed, taking a seat on the bed as he watched the elder. “I heard that you played Junhui a song the other day, why don’t you ever play songs for me?”_

_Seungcheol stopped writing to turn and glare at the younger with a look that screamed ‘are you fucking kidding me right now’._

_“Geez, some people take forever to get over stuff.” He rolled his eyes as he kicked his legs about. “Oh, I just remembered. Why do you keep ignoring that Hansol kid? I mean, I’m not particularly fond of him, but still, it’s not very nice.”_

_Seungcheol’s grip tightened on his pencil, it was taking every fibre of his being not to just ram it down the other's throat._

_“All I’m saying is that, his constant messaging is what’s keeping you alive right now and if you keep ignoring him, he’s going to stop eventually. Junhui will probably be too busy with work”, and trying to steal my boyfriend, to message you every other day. Just think about that, okay?”_

 

 

 

“Poor Seungcheol,” Mingyu sighed, with an overdramatic shake of the head. “If Hansol hadn’t died because he couldn’t keep his dumb ideas to himself and Junhui hadn’t become so preoccupied with you, he might have lived. Hell! If you’d just texted or called him once in a while he might still be alive.”

“No. No, no. You don’t get to guilt me into this, **you** put the device on him, not me.”

“It was an awful mess to clean up,” he grimaced. “You should have seen it, blood everywhere.”

 _Stop. Please, stop._ Wonwoo begged silently as his lap was soaked with his tears. “Why are you doing this?”

“Look, I’m gonna be honest with you,” Mingyu leant forward in his seat so their knees were touching. “I made some mistakes in my most recent murder and the police are probably going to be after me soon which is why we have to go.”

“We? Why do **_we_** have to go? Why can’t you just go by yourself, you’re not a child, you don’t need me to accompany you?”

“Because when you love each other, you’re supposed to go together. In sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer until death do us part.”

“We’re not married, Mingyu.” Wonwoo reminded. The younger seemed to have forgotten.

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t have said ‘I do’ if I proposed, in fact, don’t act like you wouldn’t say ‘I do’ if I proposed right now.”

Wonwoo couldn’t raise his head because he knew it was true.

“You’re going to be my last, Wonwoo. I want you to be my last. It’s only fitting, start with a special one and end with a special one.”

“I love you Jeon Wonwoo.”

_I…_

_I…_

_I… love you Mingyu._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to yell at me, I'm @chanimon99 on twitter ^^


	29. Chapter 20

Wen Junhui was practically vibrating on the spot as his body shook with nervousness. It was hot, but that wasn’t the cause of his sweating.

“Come on. Come on. Come on.” He pleaded under his breath, staring earnestly at his phone on the table, the screen lit up with the name _Jeon Woo Woo ^.^_ “Come on, Wonwoo, pick up.” Just like it had when he’d called ten minutes earlier, before he went to sleep, the previous day and the day before that, the phone went to answer machine.

“Fuck,” he cursed, ruffling his blonde hair in frustration. When Wonwoo hadn’t shown up for work on Wednesday, Junhui had been pissed. He understood that he wanted, no, **needed** a break from everything, what Wonwoo had gone through… anyone would need to take a rest from, for the sake of their sanity. However, he had promised to be back on Wednesday, he wasn’t, and Junhui couldn’t help but feel like he was being taken advantage of.

That had been how he felt on Wednesday.

It was now Friday, and Junhui had, for the third time that week, walked into an empty office.

He was beyond pissed. In fact, ‘pissed’ wasn’t close to how he was feeling.

Wen Junhui was worried, scared even. Wonwoo wasn’t someone who usually went back on their word if it could be helped, and for him to do so **and** ignore Jun’s phone calls. He was calling bullshit. Something was wrong. Every bone in his body was telling him that Wonwoo was in danger.

_You should have never let him go on that trip._

 

 

 

Junhui’s hair and suit jacket trailed behind him as he breezed into the police station, navigating through the civilians and personnel to crash into the front desk, his palms spread on the surface as his large and frantic eyes looked into those of the startled receptionist.       

“I’m looking for Detective Yoon Jeonghan,” he said, the haste and urgency in his voice unmistakable.

“Well, his office is that way,” she pointed down a hallway to the right which Jun disappeared down too quickly to hear her say, “Hey, you can’t just burst in there.”

Luckily for Junhui, he didn’t have to waste time working out which door was his as just as he was passing the fifth door, it opened, and out walked Yoon and Boo with frowns etched into their faces.

 _He’s cut his hair_ , Jun surprisingly noticed given the urgency of his current situation. “Detective Yoon,” he addressed politely, putting aside his disdain for the man as he could be the only one able to help Wonwoo.

The short haired detective turned at the call of his name, his frown deepening even further. He wasn’t particularly fond of Junhui either, however, the Chinese man couldn’t have shown up at a better time. “Wen Junhui.”

“I need to report someone missing.”

Jeonghan shook his head, his black hair flowing lightly. “I don’t handle that, you have to report it to the front desk.”

“Please,” he gripped the elder’s hand, surprising the both of them, “It’s about Wonwoo.”

Now he had Jeonghan’s attention, not that he let the other see that. “What is it?”

“I think he’s in danger.”

“Of course he’s in danger,” Boo interjected, “a serial killer is obsessed with him.”

It was Junhui who shook his head this time. They weren’t understanding. “Wonwoo was supposed to come into work on Tuesday but there was a problem with his car and he couldn’t make it until Wednesday.”

  _Jeon Wonwoo doesn’t have a license_ , Yoon noted mentally.

“It’s Friday and he still hasn’t turned up and he’s not answering his phone.”

“If it hasn’t been a week yet,” Seungkwan started but stopped when Jeonghan laid a hand to his shoulder to silence him. Boo looked at his boss, _let him go on_.

Junhui sighed, running a stressed hand through his hair. “I knew I shouldn’t have let him go,” he muttered angrily to himself. “The moment he mentioned Mingyu, I should have put a stop to it.”

“Wait, what did you just say?” and it was suddenly like the urgency had been passed to Jeonghan.

“Wonwoo went on a weekend long trip with his roommate/boyfriend, Mingyu. And he’s a danger to himself and-”       

“Did you just say ‘Mingyu’?”

Junhui rolled his eyes as he sighed internally, “Are you suddenly unable to hear? Mingyu. Ming. Gyu.”

Jeonghan moved forwards with such seriousness that Junhui found himself stumbling back a couple steps, only steadying when Jeonghan gripped his shoulders and pulled him down to his height. “Where is he?”

Junhui wasn’t stupid, obviously the name Mingyu had triggered something. Just a moment ago the detective had been ready to pawn him off to the front desk, no way he was getting information that easily. “Why? What’s going on?”

Jeonghan scoffed. “Are you crazy? Do you not want to save your friend, quit stalling and just TELL ME WHERE HE WENT?”

Junhui shook his head defiantly. “Not until you promise to let me come with you.”

The detective glowered. He didn’t have time for this, but he had no other option. Junhui was right for thinking that Wonwoo was in danger. You see, the room he and Boo had just exited belonged to their IT department who had been working tirelessly to try and recover any data they could from Hansol’s smashed laptop.

And they had finally had a breakthrough.

Unbeknownst to the Tooth Fairy, (or perhaps known, and that’s way he’d smashed it) Hansol’s webcam had been on during his murder.

It captured everything.

Detective Yoon now had all the pieces of the puzzle, he just needed to locate the box. 


	30. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Speak of cruelty to animals and graphic torture

_It was black._

_Everywhere he looked was black, to the left and right, above and below. Yet he could feel solid ground beneath his feet and sensed the presence of borders. It was like he was in a box painted black and the only way to escape, as with most boxes, was to take off the lid._

_But that was easier said than done._

_He used all his willpower to make something happen. Anything._

_A sense of relief washing over him as the blackness started to ease, like a veil was being lifted. And that’s exactly what was happening. Wonwoo felt fabric move across his face before he was blinded by a bright light._

_Blinking, he waited for it to stop stinging before reopening them, his mouth falling open as he saw his surroundings._

_The dark emptiness of the box was gone, the lid lifted, opening onto a beautiful scene. The source of the bright light seemed to be the sun as it shone its glittering light over the landscape, reflecting off the shamrock coloured foliage and causing the grass and plants to glow. Wonwoo now realised that the solid ground he had felt beneath his feet had been an aisle, white in colour, as were the seats either side of it and the gazebo at the end all wrapped in vines which blossomed rose quatz flowers. That was what he saw first once the veil had been lifted._

_He blinked again, finally noticing the presence of someone in front of him._

_It was Junhui._

**_What was he doing here?_ **

_The Chinese man was grinning down at him. “Are you ready?”_

**_Ready for what?_ ** _He wanted to ask, but before he had the chance he was being ushered forward by Jun._

_A song floated in the air and Wonwoo recognised it as K.Will’s Love Blossom._

_Too late, he realised what was happening when a bouquet was shoved into his hands. His eyes widened._

_He didn’t need to look to the right to see who waited for him._

_There was only one person it could be._

_Strangely, Wonwoo was happy with that._

_With every step Wonwoo took he could feel the walls getting further from him like his feet were pressing a pump that made the box slowly expand with air. But at the same time, it was suffocating._

_Maybe the gas was poisonous._

_Or was robbing Wonwoo of air._

_Forcing its way into his lungs and refusing to leave even as it became stale and useless._

_A bitter smile crossed his features. **So, I hadn’t escaped. I’m still just as trapped as I was in the darkness except this is worse.** Being able to see what you **could** have was so much worse than just being left in the dark._

_Wonwoo fell to his knees, his fingers clutching at his throat as he tried to pry it open and allow fresh air in. His throat felt full like it was being filled with cement but his chest was caving in from low pressure. It burned. He looked around him at the faces still smiling upon the blushing bride as if nothing was wrong._

_Jun._

**_Help me._ **

_Kwon and Chan._

**_Help me._ **

_Cheol and Josh._

**_Help me._ **

_Jason and Hansol._

**_Please._ **

_Hoya and Woozi._

**_Help me._ **

_Chanyeol._

**_Please._ **

_Dokyeom and Bohyuk._

**_Please._ **

_Luhan._

**_Help me._ **

_Even Yoon and Boo._

**_Please, help me._ **

_Just when Wonwoo was beginning to lose hope, a slither of light broke through the black that was starting to engulf the Eden. Having no other option, he reached for it…_

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo’s eyelashes fluttered as he gradually regained consciousness. _Did I fall asleep or blackout,_ his tired mind wondered. The room was quiet and dark but not dark enough for it to be night. His eyes fully opened and he saw the purple from between the trees. It was twilight. The dawning of a new day.

He shifted slightly, testing his restraints. His legs were asleep from sitting on the chair all night. He sighed, it’s not like he’d have much use for them anymore, dead people didn’t walk.

Speaking of dead people, where was his Grim reaper?

Could it be….? Was there a chance that Mingyu had spared him? Left during the night as he couldn’t bring himself to kill the one he loves?

Wonwoo didn’t want to get his hopes up. He knew the younger better than anyone else on the planet. Mingyu didn’t half-ass things. He was a man of his words, even if he did twist them to suit his own benefit, he never actually went against what he said. If he said he was going to kill Wonwoo, then he was going to kill Wonwoo.

“You’re up,” Wonwoo heard the younger’s chirpy voice and smiled, a single tear escaping his eye. If ever there was a time he was hoping to be wrong. It was now. “Hey, don’t cry,” Mingyu comforted, using his thumb to wipe away the stray tear, “This is going to be fun.”

“Fun for who?” Wonwoo whispered. It was difficult to speak. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a drink and trying to force sound out of his mouth was like rubbing the insides of his throat against sandpaper.

“The both of us, I promise.” Mingyu smiled sweetly, sealing his promise with a kiss to the elder’s forehead.

He stood upright. Wonwoo had never been intimidated by Mingyu’s height but like this, with him tied to a chair, movement restricted like a pig destined for slaughter as the taller towered over him, as free as a bird, how could he not be. He wondered, is this how an animal feels as they’re corralled into an abattoir or are they lucky enough to remain ignorant of their coming fate. 

“Here,” Mingyu said, tilting Wonwoo’s chin up as he pressed a bottle to his lips, the latter eagerly lapping up the liquid and not caring as most of it ended up down his front. “You’re so cute.” Mingyu cooed as he ruffled the elder’s dirty hair. “Should we get started?”

No.

No, Wonwoo did not want to get ‘started’. He shook his head, surprised by the ferocity of the movement. He didn’t know he still had that much energy within him. Just the previous day Wonwoo had been at peace with his fate but as the threat became very real, his heart had changed.

He didn’t want to die.

“You may feel like that now, but trust me, you’ll be begging by the end of it.” Mingyu had leant in so they were nose to nose as he whispered that and Wonwoo shivered as he looked into the eyes of the devil. The excitement that Mingyu had described on that afternoon, a time when he’d been perfectly content with their lives; it was just him, Mingyu, a cartoon and their couch, which seemed to be centuries ago, was glistening in his black orbs. He was excited. Very excited. Perhaps even getting off on it. Wonwoo felt sick. This was the guy he loved. What the fuck was wrong with him? Is it bad that he was curious about what Mingyu’s reaction would be when he hit that moment, that moment when all hope is lost? Surely if Wonwoo gave up that would mean that he was giving up on him and Mingyu too. Would the younger be disappointed? Or would he be so engrossed in seeing the fight die in Wonwoo’s eyes that he wouldn’t care?

Wouldn't care that it was the guy he supposedly loved.

Mingyu suddenly leaving his personal space brought Wonwoo back to reality. The younger disappeared behind him, giving Wonwoo a chance to breathe. Whatever was coming, he wanted to be ready for it. He wouldn’t give Mingyu the satisfaction of seeing the fight in his eyes go out. He wouldn’t.

 

The younger soon returned, bringing with him a bag full of instruments no doubt for his torture. Wonwoo chuckled bitterly. Even if he was the object of his affection, he still got the Tooth Fairy treatment.

“We’ll start off simply.” Mingyu announced.

 _Oh joy_ , Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

“Don’t be like that,” Mingyu chided. “It will be fun.”

“You keep saying that, but forgive me if I don’t share the same sentiment. I mean, it’s not like I’m about to die or anything.” Wonwoo learnt that he was snarky in the face of death.  

Mingyu sighed as he transferred his body weight so he was leaning on one foot, his hip jutting out as he crossed his arms. “You’re not _about_ to die. Seriously, are you going to be like this the whole time?”

Wonwoo laughed, throwing his head back in a way that bared his neck and made his veins pop out. Mingyu licked his lips. Wonwoo shook his head in humoured disbelief. “I’m wise to your word games now, Mingyu.” He boasted. “I may not be _about_ to die but I’m still going to die, aren’t I? How long do you plan on playing with me for?”

In the blink of an eye Mingyu had laced his fingers through Wonwoo’s black strands, pulling his head back and stretching his neck further. Wonwoo trembled as he felt Mingyu’s hot breath against his neck as the younger trailed his sharp canines down the centre of the column, leaving a pink path through the white field. “I’ll play with you for however long I want to. You’re mine.” He growled lowly. “All mine.” 

He released him, Wonwoo’s head falling forward limply as he sucked in some much-needed breaths. That had gotten intense very quickly.

“Enough foreplay,” Mingyu said, his voice rough. Wonwoo was glad he wasn’t the only one affected.

“Do all your victims get this treatment?”

“Only the sexy ones,” he winked drawing a sharp laugh from Wonwoo who couldn’t help but be reminded of the first time Mingyu had turned up in his home.

 

_“_ _Get out, demon.” He tried again only to have the other start snickering, his shoulders shaking as he hunched over before a bark of laughter burst from his throat. His cheeks pushed up and his sharp canines were exposed as the originally deep rumble ended up being high-pitched giggles, he laughed so much you’d think he was at a Comedy Gala._

_“Demon? What is this, an exorcism?”_

_Wonwoo frowned, he was making fun of him._

_“You couldn’t think of anything nicer to call me like good-lookin’, Mr. Handsome, a gift sent from the Gods, I’d even except Mr. Tall even though it’s not that imaginative.”_

**_And Mr. Handsome is?_ ** _Wonwoo found himself criticising but didn’t dare to vocalise it. As harmless as this man may appear to be right now, he must remember that he’s seen this guy kill two people in front of him and knows he’s killed countless others. “So what should I call you?”_

_Mr. Handsome paused to think, his lips pursing into a thin line as he hummed thoughtfully. “How about Mingyu.”_

_“Mingyu?”_

_“Yes.” He smiled. “I wasn’t sure at first but hearing it said in your sexily deep voice-” he licked his lips- “definitely Mingyu.”_

 

It seemed to be that flirting was their thing.

If you’d told Wonwoo at that moment that he was going to end up in the middle of a forest tied to a chair moments away from being tortured by ‘Mr. Handsome’ he probably would have believed you. That tended to be the outcome for people who had run ins with serial killers. If, however, you had told him that in-between that time he would have fallen in love with Mr. Handsome then he would have called you crazy and probably reported you to the police, like he should have done to Mingyu that night.

“Should I be jealous?” Wonwoo asked as the younger picked something out of the bag.

“Of course not,” he replied, giving Wonwoo a peck on the cheek as he passed him and went to the kitchen, “they’re of no threat to you. They’re dead.” 

 _Of course they are_. Wonwoo had forgotten for a moment just who exactly he was talking to.

Mingyu appeared again. He was towelling off whatever he’d taken to the sink to wash.

Wonwoo didn’t like this. This whole waiting thing he was doing. If Mingyu was going to torture him then he’d rather he just got on with it. Waiting was giving him far too much time to think of different scenarios. Mingyu liked to be creative, so he was curious about what the younger would do with him. Would he make it painfully slow like Howon’s or would it be brutal and fast like Joshua’s? Would he suffer until his last breath like Woozi had?

 

_Woozi squirmed like a worm on a hook. His feet kicked at Wonwoo and his eyes were wide, frantic, as he choked. Hands scrambled in the air as he tried desperately to clutch onto something but he caught nothing but air; air that was everything he needed and the one thing he couldn't have in that moment. No matter how hard he worked to try and pump oxygen into his body it was of no use, there was a gaping hole in his neck. Wonwoo wanted so badly to hold on to his flailing hands. To squeeze tight so that Woozi knew he wasn't alone. But once again he had lost control of his body, so he could do nothing but sit and watch with wet eyes. His movements became more violent as he spasmed, blood squirted from his mouth and cascaded through the open wound like a waterfall, soaking the pair in red liquid. He was drowning in the blood that swam through his very own veins, and there was nothing Wonwoo could do about it._

_One final rivulet of crimson oozed from his neck then that was it._

_Woozi was gone._

 

Wonwoo was startled by the sudden weight in his lap, his wide and surprised eyes looking up into Mingyu’s. The latter was straddling his lap, his knees bent as his feet had no problem reaching the floor. Mingyu smiled at him, in a way Wonwoo suspected was supposed to ease his discomfort, but it only filled him with dread. The room was deathly quiet. Only the sound of the pair’s light breaths could be heard, but Wonwoo struggled to hear it over the pounding of his heart. He felt the younger shift, Mingyu’s hands moving to expose whatever it was he had picked out of the bag and, surprise surprise, it was a knife.

“You have a thing for knives, don’t you?”

Mingyu shrugged, his eyes glowing playfully as he raised the sharp instrument to the collar of Wonwoo’s (technically Mingyu’s) t-shirt. Without realising it, Wonwoo had tilted his neck back slightly to try and avoid the point which was nearing his throat. The younger’s grin stretched as he clutched the fabric, the panic in Wonwoo’s eyes growing, only for Mingyu to insert the blade at the centre of the neck hole and drag downwards quickly, the material splitting in two and fluttering as it settled in the creases of his elbows. He chuckled. “Relax, Wonwoo. Why’re you so tense?” Wonwoo glared at him. “I think you should relax whilst I tell you a story.”

_Yes, because relaxing whilst you hold a blade centre metres from my chest is the sensible thing to do._

“It’s about my dream last night,” Mingyu started, as he trailed the cool blade down the centre of Wonwoo’s bare chest, leaving behind a line of goose bumps. “I dreamt of us and how our lives will be after we move on together.” Funny that, Wonwoo did too. “I dreamt that we lived in a bigger house then we do now, not that our current apartment is small, but we need somewhere to keep all the cats because I know you don’t like dogs.” Wonwoo hissed, biting on his bottom lip to stifle the sounds.

“How…. Considerate.”

“I know, right.” He smirked before continuing. “We’re married, obviously. And you’re the CEO of Hong & co. and I’m your lovely assistant after your last one had to go away for a long time -permanently. I want kids. One boy and one-”

“Mingyu, stop.” Wonwoo whined, his head lolling to one side.

“You don’t want to hear my story.” He pouted, the silver blade poised in the air lined with red that dripped onto Wonwoo’s exposed thighs. The crude drawing of a little girl left unfinished as he sat back a little. You see, as Mingyu had been recounting his dreams of their future, he had also been illustrating it using Wonwoo’s chest as his canvas and the knife as his brush. The elder sucked in short, sharp breaths as moving his chest too much caused the cuts to throb, each pulse squeezing out more blood that fell down his abdomen and pooled in his navel. It hurt, but he couldn’t complain. He knew that some of his victims had suffered through worse.

A small and content smile graced Mingyu’s features as he looked at his masterpiece. An oddly shaped circle sat atop Wonwoo’s right pictorial as a sun, shinning its uneven lines down on a crudely drawn house with a triangle roof top and a square for a body. In, what could only be assumed was supposed to be, the garden was three and a half stick figures: a really tall one, a slightly smaller one and a tiny one with a hat beside a floating circle with wavy lines sprouting from it. Between the red Mingyu and Wonwoo were lots of little oval shapes with pointy ears and long tails -the cats. He had even been kind enough to include the elder’s best friend, though it was in angel form floating above them all.

“It’s very good,” Mingyu beamed. “Do you want to see it?” Before Wonwoo even had a chance to decline, the younger had clambered off his lap in search of a mirror, returning soon with a mirror stolen from the bathroom. “Do you like it? Do you?” 

Wonwoo nodded weakly which caused Mingyu to grin with satisfaction. He was very pleased that his love liked it.

“Do you think we could take a break now, Mingyu?” he asked hoarsely. Looking up at the younger through his eyelashes which Mingyu may have taken as an attempt to look cute but really he was just too drained to lift his head.

“It’s only 6am.” Mingyu pouted, but relented, “Of course, Wonwoo.” Mingyu would do anything for Wonwoo. The younger put the mirror down and dragged his chair closer to the elder before plunking down in it happily. “Would you like a drink? Something to eat?” he offered.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind having these ropes untied.”

Mingyu laughed loudly, his hands clapping as he did so. “Nice try, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo shrugged. _It was worth a try._

 

 

 

The torture continued throughout the day with hardly any breaks unless Wonwoo asked for it. (Mingyu seemed to like it when Wonwoo begged.)

Currently, Mingyu was sat on the floor in front of the other’s chair, Wonwoo’s right foot in his hand as he pulled at the elder’s big toenail with a pair tweezers. Wonwoo’s knuckles had turned white from how tightly he was gripping the arms of the chair. He screamed out in pain as the skin finally let go of the bone and Mingyu grunted with the effort. The younger held it up proudly, the nail stained with red and the little patches of skin that still clung to it.

“That was a toughie,” Mingyu commented with a laugh. “Chanyeol’s were bigger though.”

At this point Wonwoo was very close to kicking the younger. It was doable, his foot was right there. Mingyu’s face right next to it. It wouldn’t take much effort, and the crunch of the younger’s nose beneath the sole of his foot would be so satisfying. Through his pain fogged mind, Wonwoo weighed out the pros and cons of attacking Mingyu. Like previously stated, it would be very satisfying, but also very stupid. After he kicked Mingyu, then what? He couldn’t run away. He was tied to the chair, very tightly. And kicking him would only just piss him off. Mingyu had been fairly nice to him so far. Aside from the drawing he’d done across his front, he’d only cut along his arms and pulled out a couple fingernails from his left hand. Even if he had taken special care to put the cuts in the crevices of Wonwoo’s elbow and armpits just so it would be uncomfortable to move. _Smart_ , now that Wonwoo thought about it. It would make it more difficult for him to move. He sighed.

The conclusion of his mental debate: No.

“Mingyu,” he croaked, the younger stopped admiring the nail to look up at him. From this angle, he looked cute, almost. Maybe if his clothes hadn’t been stained with Wonwoo’s blood. “I’m tired, can we go to bed please?”

“But I’ve only done one nail, Wonwoo.” He complained, his eyebrows furrowing and his bottom lip jutting out to form an adorable expression. Wonwoo felt ashamed that his heart had jumped at the sight.

It didn’t matter whether Mingyu allowed him to sleep or not because Wonwoo honestly couldn’t see himself lasting any longer. All the energy had been sapped from his body like syrup from a tree and it was highly likely that he was going to pass out.....

 

 

_Wonwoo woke up face down on the ground. The floor beneath him was wet, and upon further inspection, Wonwoo found that it was grass, wet from morning dew. Using his hands to brace himself, the raven head pushed himself up and onto his feet so he could quickly garner his surroundings._

_It looked like he was in the Soyang forest._

_How had he gotten there?_

_Had Mingyu let him go or had he escaped?_

_A quick glance down at his body, free of scars, told him that he was dreaming. He sighed. Now even his dreams were fucking with him._

_Wonwoo was at a loss of what to do. He was just stood in the middle of a forest. What the hell was it trying to tell him?_

_As if it had been listening to his thoughts, (which it kind of was seeing as he’s dreaming and all), faint wisps of serenity coloured smoke started to drift past him and disappear into the black of the forest. Wonwoo wasn’t an idiot. He knew it’s intent was to be followed, so he did, the blue smoke acting as a gaseous yellow brick road as it guided him. The further along he went, the thicker the smoke got, until his vision was completely obscured by the dense fog. The businessman started to panic. His hands waving frantically to try and clear it but the fog persisted, Wonwoo losing all sense of direction until he hit something hard and fell to his knees._

_He raised his head slowly to look at the obstacle, his eyes meeting red stumps instead._

_Despite the opaque smoke, Wonwoo could see Chanyeol clearly. The thin tips of smoke danced around the elder, framing him like a guardian angel sent to rescue Wonwoo from this hell._

_Chanyeol extended an arm, which Wonwoo gladly took, and helped him to his feet before turning around and walking back into the fog._

_He hadn’t said anything but the message was clear, ‘follow me’ and Wonwoo certainly didn’t have to be told twice._

_The elder lead him out of the fog, Wonwoo breathing a sigh of relief as he could finally see again, and into a clearing where other people had gathered._

_Joshua was there._

_As were Woozi and Luhan. And Howon and Seungcheol. And Hansol and Minghao._

_What was this? Some kind of congratulations party for making it onto the Tooth Fairy’s victim list? Or an AA style support group, because God knows they needed it after what Mingyu put them through._

_The first person to notice their arrival was Seungcheol, the elder greeting Wonwoo with a bright smile as his big eyes lit up. Oh, how Wonwoo had missed that smile. That smile which had so easily comforted him through his toughest times. The smile that Wonwoo had so easily forgotten when he was with Mingyu. He frowned, he didn’t deserve that smile._

_“I told you you’d end up here.” Howon said smugly._

_Wonwoo blinked for a moment as his mind went back to that day:_

 

Wonwoo’s head fell into his lap, unable to bring himself to look up at the no doubt judgmental looks he was getting from his companions. He wasn’t trying to say that Mingyu wasn’t a bad guy, of course he was a bad guy, none of them would be there if he wasn’t. But…

“But what?” Woozi said.

“I love him.” Wonwoo uttered, quietly to himself at first but then he sat up facing his lover’s victims and repeated it with more conviction. “I love him.”

_I don’t know why._

“I can’t explain why, but he makes my heart beat faster and my breath catch in my throat as cliché as that may sound. I look forward to the end of the day because I know Mingyu will be waiting for me at home, like a cuddly puppy. And I’m sorry for what he did to you all, I am, but there’s nothing any of us can do about that now. If I could go back in time and save you I would. If I could go back in time and make it so that I never walked into Joshua’s office that day I would. But I can’t. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I love Mingyu and we’re all just going to have to accept that.”

Joshua sighed. “Look Wonwoo, you’re my best friend and if Mingyu is what makes you happy then…” he shrugged.

“We haven’t known each other for a long time but you’re clearly very happy with him, you haven’t had a nightmare in months.” Luhan pointed out.

“Well I still think you’re making a mistake,” Howon commented, scared arms crossed against his chest, “but don’t complain when you end up in our position.”

 

_He chuckled. “Yep, you were completely right, Howon.”_

_“Wonwoo…” Joshua’s hand touched his shoulder. “Please don’t cry.”_

_Huh? When had he started crying? Wonwoo hadn’t even realised but, true to Josh’s words, tears had escaped his eyes. “You were right. I fell in love with a monster. Look what he’s done to you. If I hadn’t been so stupid, some of you wouldn’t even be stood here. This is all more fault.”_

_“Wonwoo,” Luhan interjected, “It’s not-”_

_“Yes, it is! Can’t you see? If I’d just stopped him that afternoon in Josh’s office, then he would have been caught and **none** of you would be standing here. If I’d just screamed whilst we were in that alley, or gone to the police when he turned up on my sofa.”_

_“Blaming yourself isn’t going to get you anywhere.” Seungcheol argued. “You’ve suffered too.”_

_He shook his head. “No I haven’t. I lived out my life ignorantly whilst he ran around ending yours. I haven’t suffered. I’m getting what I deserve. What right do I have to fight him? I’m just as guilty as he is.”_

_“Wonwoo, no!” Woozi growled, punching the taller across the face. “You do not get to stand there and accuse yourself. You didn’t ask for any of this. You’re just as innocent as we all are, and now you’re talking about giving up? Fuck you! You’re our last chance to see this guy get what he deserves and you don’t want to fight? Even though I only knew you for a couple of hours, I thought you were a cool guy. Pretty chill, smart and funny. But now I realise that you’re just a **coward**.” _

_Coward._

_The word echoed as the fog started to fill the clearing, swirling around them like a violent tornado._

 

 

Wonwoo was woken up by a heavy weight on his back. Incoherent mumbling sounds fell from his mouth as he tried to gather his bearings. The last thing he remembered was blue smoke and a forest, the word ‘coward’ still echoing in his mind. But now he appeared to be in bed. Still restrained, he noticed with dejection.

His neck bent awkwardly as he twisted to look behind him, not surprised when he found Mingyu’s dark eyes staring down at him from where the younger straddled his waist.

He sighed inwardly and buried his head in the pillow, hoping for the soft material to smother him and put him out of his misery. _Coward._

“What do you want, Mingyu?” he grumbled, the gleam he’d seen in the younger’s eye had told him he was up to something.

“I was just admiring your back,” he hummed, absentmindedly stroking his hands across the smooth surface in a ticklish manner that made Wonwoo’s toes wriggle. “Your skin is so soft here, so white. I want to ruin it.” He breathed, almost to himself but in the quiet of the room, Wonwoo heard it clearly.

The weight was gone and Wonwoo knew exactly what was coming next.

Mingyu retook his seat on Wonwoo’s waist. “I have nice plans for today, Wonwoo.”

“Are you going to let me go?”

Mingyu laughed. “Of course not. Why don’t you try and guess?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Play with me.” Mingyu said, his voice still pleasant but dangerous too and just so Wonwoo remembered how dangerous, Mingyu pressed the flat of the blade against the skin before him.

“Are you going to draw more pictures?”

Mingyu gasped. “It’s not fun if you get it on the first go.” He shrugged. Oh well, there wasn’t much he could do about it now. “I was thinking that you should get a tattoo so everyone knows that you’re mine but seeing as I don’t have a tattoo gun, I’ll have to do it Tooth Fairy style.

Wonwoo sucked in a sharp breath as the familiar sensation of a knife piercing his skin came from the centre of his back. 

 

Whatever Mingyu was doing, it was very elaborate. The light shining through the window telling the businessman that it was well past midday. They must have been at this for hours. The bed was soaked with his blood.

“Do you want to try and guess what it is?”

Wonwoo barely managed to shake his head.

“Okay, seeing as you sat through that very well like a good boy.” Mingyu praised, leaning down to place a kiss to the crown of his head. “I’ll tell you… It’s a pair of wings. Fairy wings to be exact, so you can take a piece of me with you everywhere.” _How nice of you._ “I want it to heal nicely, so I think I’ll just play with your toes for the rest of the day. That way, you can stay in this position.”

And true to his words, that’s exactly what Mingyu did.

He finished what he’d started the previous day and by the time that was done, it was dark again.

The younger was lying on his side so that he and Wonwoo were sharing a pillow, at some point whilst doing the left foot, the elder had passed out from pain so Mingyu was taking the time to stare at his boyfriend’s face. He’d been very careful not to make any cuts on his face as it was one of Mingyu’s favourite things to look at. He didn’t plan on taking the elder’s teeth either. As he’d said, Wonwoo was special, not just another Tooth Fairy victim.

“Wonwoo,” he whispered softly, pulling the elder’s bottom lip down with his index finger. He tried again and again until the other started to stir. “Hey, I’m glad you came back,” he stated softly as the elder blinked into consciousness. “This may seem really dumb but I woke you up to tell you that it’s really late so we should go to sleep.”

“What time is it?” his voice was groggy with sleep.

“5am.”

“Okay.” Wonwoo closed his eyes again, sleep was really good for numbing the pain that was coursing through his veins and making every nerve feel like it was on fire.

Twenty minutes later, Wonwoo was opening his eyes again. Every trace of tiredness was gone and they looked the most alert they’d been the past couple days. Beside him, Mingyu’s mouth hung open as he let out soft snores. He closed his eyes in silent prayer. It had worked. Wonwoo had only been feigning sleep because when he’d woken up earlier he realised that his bonds were tied differently to how they had been when he’d fallen asleep. Wonwoo had wondered if Mingyu had secretly been undoing them whilst he was asleep and was so so thankful that he’d been right.

He sat up extremely slowly, both to not wake Mingyu and because it was all his body could manage.

It was his time to prove to Woozi that he wasn’t a coward. (The pink haired boy gave him a thumbs up from the corner of the room.)

Wonwoo swung his legs over the edge of the bed and cringed when his feet hit the floor, Mingyu had carved their names onto the soles. Every step sent a bolt of electric shooting up his legs but he had to persevere. He had to.

Somehow he made it to the front door, opening it with caution and shivering as soon as that early morning air hit his scantily clad body. Dressed in nothing but his boxers wasn't exactly the best outfit for escaping but he had to persevere. He had to.

The pebbles and stones of the forest floor dug into his cuts and Wonwoo was sure he was leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind but he hoped he would be long gone before the younger woke up. He tried to run, but the most he could manage was a kind of fast awkward shuffle that he prayed was good enough.

“What. The. Fuck. Are you doing?”

He froze. His body as rigid as rock.

“I trusted you and _this_ is what you do with it?”

Unlike the previous times Mingyu had rendered Wonwoo immobile, the latter recovered quickly. His legs started to run, his thighs were slick with red liquid and his entire body was screaming at him to just give up but he couldn’t and wouldn’t.

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t get very far when he was yanked back by a hand in his hair, falling heavily on his back and drawing a loud yelp of pain as every line reopened. Mingyu’s grip on his hair didn’t loosen as he dragged the kicking and screaming elder back into the house, throwing him in like a discarded dirty top.

Mingyu stood above him.

An aura was radiating from him that Wonwoo had never had the displeasure of experiencing before.

His body was shaking with a scathing and silently hot type of anger that seeped into his pores and burned his insides like thick black tar. It was like he was sucking in the light in the room. Every muscle was pulled taught, his eyebrows folded in a scowl and his lips curled into a feral snarl.

What Wonwoo was looking at wasn’t human?

“Why would you do that, Wonwoo? Why would you try and run away? Huh?” His foot pressed down on the elder’s abdomen, the latter squirming beneath it. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice you weren’t sleeping? Don’t you know how many hours I've spent of our lives watching you sleep?”

“Mingyu,” Wonwoo grunted, “Please.”

Mingyu’s eyebrow rose with incredulity before a manic laughter burst from his throat, the younger bending as he did so.

Insane.

Mingyu was actually insane.

“Please? PLEASE? Why should I listen to your begging?” A punch to the jaw.

“You’re mine. Don’t you understand that?” A kick to the stomach.

More kicks and blows showered down on Wonwoo, the younger’s limbs a blur with the flurry of his movements. Each hit drew a cry from the elder. His arms had come up to protect his head but it was no use, and he blacked out. 

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo, who was struggling to see through the red that blinded his eyes, both figuratively and literally, sensed when the other had lowered himself down into the bathtub too.

“M-M-Mingyu,” he slurred, his tongue heavy and swollen in his mouth just like his busted bottom lip.

The younger hushed him, using his index finger to push his mouth closed and discreetly wipe the pink spittle that had fallen from it. “Don’t try and speak.” He heard the other sigh. “Look, I’m sorry for beating you up like that but you have to understand how much you hurt me when you tried to run away, okay. Running away was like you telling me that you didn’t love me, that you weren’t mine and you didn’t want to continue our life together. I thought you loved me, Wonwoo, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll have plenty of time to grow closer again in the future.”

Tears were streaming down Wonwoo’s face from his black eyes, mixing with his blood along the way before falling off the edge of his face. It hurt to cry. It hurt to do anything: breathe, cry, blink. But it’s all he could do in that moment.

He’d failed.

He’d failed to save everyone by giving them the justice they deserve.

It was going to happen. He was going to die. And it was going to happen now.

Wonwoo tried is best to think back on the good moments.

His best friends:

_“Yah!” Wonwoo yelled as he steadied himself, making sure that his cup stayed upright. “If my coffee spills I will murder you Kwon Soonyoung.” He threatened, his small eyes narrowing even further._

_“Ooooo I’m so scared.” The blonde rolled his eyes, before breaking out into one of his grins. Wonwoo smiled back, glad that they were okay. Soonyoung was used to his temperament anyways. As the pair were walking to work together Soonyoung said, “I don’t think Mr. Hong would like it very much if you killed me. You may be his favourite employee but I’m his assistant and I’d like to think he’d be somewhat upset if anything happened to me.”_

_“But you don’t do anything besides talk.”_

_“I do too do stuff.” The elder pouted at Wonwoo’s (very truthful) comment. “I get his laundry, take notes in his meetings, I even get him coffee every morning. He’s an addict like you.”_

 

_“Come. Come here.” He gathered, taking his phone out. “Let’s take a selfie.” The four of them squished together, Junhui holding the phone on the end, followed by Chan, Wonwoo and then Soonyoung, their arms around each other’s shoulders and bright smiles on their faces as the lights sparkled behind them._

_They had been taking pictures and videos all day, but this one meant the most to Wonwoo._

**Especially Junhui** :

_“Are you sure you’re okay?” Wonwoo smiled at his friend’s concern and nodded. “I’m fine.”_

_“Good.” Junhui concluded, relinquishing the raven head from his hold and taking a step back… only to slap him on the back of the head. Wonwoo yelped, clutching the sore spot, he glared at the snickering Chinese man. “Erm… Ow! What the fuck bruh?”_

_“That’s for leaving me alone with Soonyoung yesterday with no warning.” He scolded before entering the driver’s seat. Wonwoo rolled his eyes, before getting in the car with a pout to glare at Junhui, making a show of rubbing the spot where he’d been hit. Junhui looked at him, his lips pressed into a taught line to show that Wonwoo’s acting skills weren’t as good as he thought. “Don’t be a baby.” Junhui was clearly unimpressed, but even as he said this he handed Wonwoo the coffee he’d brought for him on his way._

His roommate:

_“Honey, I’m home.” Wonwoo called out as he shut the front door to his apartment, removing his shoes and jacket as he did so. His apartment wasn’t big but it wasn’t small either. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open kitchen and living room. Plus, the rent was affordable._

_“Welcome home, babe.” His roommate joked back as Wonwoo fell down into the sofa beside him, exhausted. Who knew typing at a desk all day could be so tiring. “Tired?” he asked, receiving a nod and pout from the young businessman. “Ain’t it a good thing I finished class early and have already prepared dinner.”_

_Wonwoo cracked one eye open to peer at the man next to him. “Really, Seungcheol? An actual home cooked meal?”_

_“Do I look like Gordon Ramsay? I ordered pizza.”_

His family:

_But of course it was too good to be true._

_The bouncing sensation that had left him feeling light-hearted in his imagination was caused by his brother jumping up and down on his bed yelling about the fact that it’s Christmas._

_“Oh my god,” Wonwoo groaned in thick and deep sleep voice, “Are you five or are you 25? Act your God damn age!” Bohyuk only stuck his tongue out, not stopping or realising that his antics had woken Junhui up too. Wonwoo noticed, however, and begged him to save him. A minute later Wonwoo was considering, getting new family as both his brother and his best friend were a few jumps away from breaking his old bed whilst his mother and father laughed on the side-lines._

 

He hissed as the corners of his lips twitched up into a smile, but did nothing to stop it. It was a welcomed pain. One that was accompanied by the warmth of fond memories. He’d lived a good life with people who loved him. He was content. 

_“Why do you keep letting me go? Why do you keep letting me live?”_

_He chuckled._

_“It’s simple. You’re cute.”_

_He winked._

_And then he was gone._

No. Why was that there? This was supposed to be his good memories.

_“I think I’m offended.” He huffed with a pout. “What did my devilishly good looks do to you for you to call me old?”_

_“You don’t look older than me. You’re quite handsome.” Wonwoo admitted quietly and watched as Mingyu’s tanned face crinkled with happiness._

 

_“What are you doing?”_

_Wonwoo got his reply when, faster than he can swerve Mingyu's sneezes, the younger pulled Wonwoo to his chest by throwing his arm over his shoulder and pressed his lips to the elder’s cheek, then he was gone._

_There was a flash but Wonwoo was too stunned to do anything right now._

_The moment the younger’s lips had touched his skin, a burning heat had spread through his body like wild fire leaving him tingling from his head to his toes.  Oh my god! Did he really just do that? Wonwoo was in disbelief. His heart was beating faster than a freight train and he was struggling to breathe._

 

_Mingyu uncurled his limbs from Wonwoo’s hold, the elder unconsciously tensing as he thought that the younger didn’t want to touch him anymore, only to relax when Mingyu only leant back to cup the elder’s face with his large hands._

_“I love you Wonwoo.” He confessed, brown eyes boring down into black ones. And they were full of sincerity._

 

_“I love you, Wonwoo.”_

_“I love you too, Mingyu.”_

_And Wonwoo fell asleep with a smile on his face and a warmth in his heart because it was true. He really did love Mingyu._

Wonwoo knew why they appeared.

And it caused his heart great pain because, even after everything…. he loved Mingyu still.

“We’ll do it together.” Mingyu’s voice was soft as he took Wonwoo’s hands and wrapped them around the handle before covering it with his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Mingyu guided their hands towards the other’s body, Wonwoo trembling as he felt the blade graze his chest as it was lead to his throat.

He swallowed. His Adams apple bobbing.

Mingyu started to apply pressure, the point piercing the junction at the base of his neck drawing a bead of blood from the puncture that only grew into an overflowing river as the knife was pushed in further, a burning sensation accompanying it. Wonwoo eyes flicked up at Mingyu’s to find them full of love. The younger released his hands, regarding the elder with satisfaction.

The edges of Wonwoo’s vision were fading to black as the blood continued to pour from the wound. His breath was laboured.

It was their fate, from the moment they’d met that September afternoon, Wonwoo and Mingyu’s destinies had twisted together into a single strand doomed to end too quickly. Like a real-life Romeo and Juliet, they’d loved destructively, hurting everyone around them, until life had intervened by taking theirs.

Just before the darkness consumed him, he saw Mingyu raise his own blade to his neck. A final ‘I love you Jeon Wonwoo’ leaving him before he sliced his hand from right to left.

_I love you Mingyu._

Then it all went black.

 

 


	31. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter but there's an epilogue

Jun hadn’t waited for Yoon and Boo when the elderly fisherman had pointed him in the direction of the Hanok where the ‘pleasant young man’ was staying, the blonde instantly sprinting off into the woods, ignoring Jeonghan’s calls of his name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He wasn’t exactly sure where he was going, but his body seemed to know as he soon chanced upon the small Hanok in a clearing, a familiar black Lexus parked aside it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wonwoo,” he called out as he slammed open the door, the wood splintering from the force of the action but it didn’t register as his mind was preoccupied by the pools of blood and the heavy metallic smell that lingered in the air. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A smeared trail of crimson lead to the bathroom. Junhui gasped at the sight, rushing forwards and banging his knees quite painfully against the tub but he ignored the dull throb as he stared at the knife protruding from his neck, unsure of what to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The raven head’s chapped lips trembled as he took in what little air he could. Jeon Wonwoo was rapidly running out of time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _Come on Junhui, think._ He touched the other’s clammy skin. He was still warm, the blood still trickling from the wound. He needed to stop the bleeding, but should he remove the knife or not? Should he use his hands or a piece of cloth? Junhui didn’t know. And he didn’t want to endanger his life any further.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wonwoo,” he softly called, hoping to coax the younger to full consciousness. The latter’s eyelashes fluttered. It seemed to be working. “Wonwoo,” he repeated, with a bit more eagerness this time, a small smile breaking out as the whites of Wonwoo’s eye became visible, the pupils moving around slowly before focusing on the Chinese man. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“J-Junhui?” The sound was hoarse, almost intelligible but Jun would recognise his name in that voice in any condition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wonwoo,” he said, “It’s me, Junhui.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Junhui? Where’s Mingyu?” His eyes drifted lazily towards the other end of the tub, but were unable to focus. His vision was blurred and dizzy like his brain had been blended for 10 hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wonwoo, you need to stop talking. You’re gonna make the knife move.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Knife?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _Oh, yeah_ , he recalled. His thoughts were ten minutes behind present time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I need to apply pressure to the wound to stop the flow, but I can’t see it all beneath this blood.” Jun spoke angrily to himself. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“M-Mingyu. I have to help Mingyu.” Wonwoo mumbled. The last image he had of the younger was a spray of red arching from his neck as he moved his left hand. “I have to help Mingyu.” The raven head’s limbs started to twitch as thoughts of saving Mingyu consumed his mind. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jun placed a hand to Wonwoo’s bare chest, cringing when he saw the fresh scars there. It was a gentle but firm hand. “You need to stop moving.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What about Mingyu?” Wonwoo argued. There was a bit more strength to his voice, he had no idea where he’d dragged it from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junhui growled softly with frustration. He understood that Wonwoo was in a delirious state right now, but his constant squirming wasn’t helping either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Mingyu. Mingyu. I have to help him.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Stop fucking moving, Wonwoo!” he snapped. The harshness of his voice caused the younger to freeze, but he still continued to whine for Mingyu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _Water. I need water._ Jun concluded once the younger became docile. His eyes flicked to the right, towards the tap at the end of the bath, before he stripped off his top to use as a cloth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as he was about to switch the tap on, a hand on his wrist stopped him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He looked down at it, then up at the pale face of its’s owner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What about Mingyu?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although it may have only showed as narrowed eyes and tight lips, inside, Junhui was fuming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo had leant forwards to grab him, possibly moving the knife and nicking a blood vessel. What if he hit the carotid artery? He would bleed out in a matter of seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junhui was fuming… because Wonwoo was unnecessarily endangering his life whilst Jun was doing everything to save it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chinese man moved forwards. His eyes dark as they held Wonwoo’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Mingyu is not here.” He seethed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Mingyu was never here.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“He’s not real, Wonwoo.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo’s grip slackened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junhui moved away and turned on the tap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonwoo stared at the opposite end of the bath, watching blankly as the water ran clearly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank everyone for your support of this fic and would like to apologise if you don't like the ending. I'm sorry but it is what it is ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	32. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this answers all your questions ^^  
> but if you still have some don't feel shy and @ me or comment lol

The courthouse was surrounded by the press. It was to be the most high-profile case in South Korea for decades to come. The Tooth Fairy, the man who had terrorised Seoul for the past ten years, was finally on trial. Many flocked to get a glimpse of the infamous man, the sick, depraved soul who had mutilated 19 men. Many were disappointed. Jeon Wonwoo didn’t fit the image they had built up in their minds. Where was the towering stature? The cold black eyes? The hands large enough to rip teeth from mouth? Why wasn’t he a grotesque and snivelling pathetic excuse for a human?

Many were disappointed because Jeon Wonwoo looked perfectly normal. 

Except… disappointed wasn’t the correct word to use because whilst the immediate feeling was disappointment that he hadn’t been some kind of degenerate monster, it was only masking the true emotion that lay beneath.

Fear.

He looked perfectly normal. Had a perfectly normal job and life filled with friends and hobbies. He was human. Broken. But human all the same. And he could have been anyone. Their next-door neighbour, their colleague, the man who gave them coffee every morning. It was terrifying. 

 

Inside the courtroom was just as busy. It was filled with press, relatives of the victims as well as the defender.

Wen Junhui was pacing just outside the doors, his shiny black shoes clicking insistently against the floor with each step. A stressed hand ran through his hair as he took deep breaths. Calming breaths. That were doing absolutely nothing to help out. When Junhui had arrived in Korea six years ago, he could never have foretold that he’d be testifying in one of the biggest murder cases ever.

_“You need to come home, right now.”_

_“Mum…” The man sighed, phone calls like this had become almost daily._

_“No, Junhui. It’s too late. I told you. I told you it was too dangerous, now look.”_

_“Mum… I want to, you know I do but, Wonwoo-”_

_“Wonwoo. Wonwoo! He’s the cause of all of this. I can’t believe all that time I left you in his care, I thought you were safe. I thought he was trustworthy but-”_

_“He is mother. Wonwoo is one of the best people I know, he’s just a little sick okay. I’m going to stay here and I’m going to help him. He needs me to show everyone and himself that he’s not the monster the media has painted him out to be. I’m sorry, mother but I need to stay here.”_

_Yes, Jeon Wonwoo had done terrible things, horrible, monstrous things but he was still Junhui’s best friend. His best friend who he knew like the back of his own hand and he needed his help. So, he was going to give it._

 

“Nervous?”

He stopped.

His head whipped around to the source of the voice. A sigh escaped him as all tension left his body. “Aren’t you?”

A small smile pressed at his chapped lips as he shook his head once. “No. It has to be done.”

“Wonwoo…” he started, but the prisoner was already being lead past him.

“Good luck, Jun.” 

 

 

 

“Could you please state your relation to the defendant for the jury please?”

“I’m his best friend.” Jun answered, he was still nervous but he had to suck it up for Wonwoo’s sake.

“His best friend,” Kyungil repeated. “Would you say you spent a lot of time together?”

“Yes. We’ve been close friends for seven years. He was the first friend I made when I arrived in Korea. We were studying the same course at university and then we were working together at the same company, we hung out together in our spare time, so yeah, we spent a lot of time together.” He answered honestly.

“Seven years.” Kyungil raised an eyebrow, “The Tooth Fairy killed fourteen people in that time.” He commented.

The Chinese man’s eyes narrowed as he asked lowly, “What are you implying?”

The prosecutor shrugged. “Nothing. Just an observation.”

“Objection!” Wonwoo’s lawyer called out, “That’s inflammatory.”

“Sustained. Move on Mr Song.”  

Junhui glared at the smug man. As if it wasn’t bad enough that he was trying to get his best friend the death penalty, he was trying to incriminate Junhui too. He hated him. With every fibre of his being, and it showed on his face which was twisted into a permanent glare.

“It says in the statement, that it was Mr Wen who came to the police about Jeon Wonwoo, is that true?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Wonwoo had gone on a trip over the weekend and he was supposed to come back on Monday and start work again on Tuesday, but he called me on Monday and said there was a problem with the car and he wouldn’t be able to make it. That was strange to me because Wonwoo doesn’t have a license and when I asked him if he’d drove up there himself he started talking about Mingyu and I just…” -he sighed- “I thought he just wanted an extra day to himself and was making excuses so I cut him off and told him to make sure he was at work promptly on Wednesday. But Wednesday came and he didn’t, then it was Thursday and still no show. He wasn’t answering his phone and by Friday I was really worried which is why I went to the police.”

“Why were you worried? As you said he might have just wanted extra time to himself, so why?”

“It’s not like Wonwoo to not answer his phone and make people worry uselessly. He cares a lot about his friends.”

“Yet he killed so many of them.” Kyungil commented offhandedly and Junhui’s eyes narrowed once again. That was a low blow and the wince it drew from Wonwoo sat opposite him confirmed it. “Why did it piss you off when he started talking about Mingyu?”

“Objection! The witness never said it pissed him off.”

Kyungil held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, I’ll rephrase it. Why did you think he was making excuses when he mentioned Mingyu?”

Junhui looked down as shame engulfed him. His pink tongue darted out to wet his dry lips. He could feel Wonwoo’s eyes on him, trying to tell him that it was okay, but couldn’t bring himself to meet them.

“Because I knew that Mingyu wasn’t real.”

“You knew that Mingyu wasn’t real.” Kyungil repeated in a loud voice to ensure that everyone in the courtroom heard the confession. “For how long had you known that Mingyu wasn’t real?”

_“I’m going on a trip this weekend.” Wonwoo suddenly announced._

_“With Mingyu?” The words had left Junhui’s mouth before he could stop them, he just hoped the other couldn’t hear the jealousy within them._

_“Yeah,” came Wonwoo’s soft reply._

_The younger didn’t speak for a while and Junhui allowed his eyes to leave the cupcake on his plate. What he saw simultaneously warmed but broke his heart. Wonwoo was looking out of the window with a faraway look in his black eyes. A small smile graced his pink lips. Jun was sure he wasn’t even aware of it. He looked so beautiful, so happy._

_Jun couldn’t even be upset that his happiness wasn’t caused by him._

_“You must really like him.”_

_Wonwoo blinked._

**_Cute._ **

_“W-Why would you say that?” he stuttered. Pink dusted his cheeks which made him look even cuter._

_“Just at the mention of him your face lit up like New Year’s Eve.” Jun started grinning as Wonwoo spluttered like he was choking on air, his eyes screaming ‘am I that obvious’._

_“Yes. Yes, you are.” Jun could read Wonwoo better than he could read himself, his friend was in love. Junhui leaned back in his chair and tried to put on an air to show that he wasn’t affected by the fact that his best friend was in love with someone… and it wasn’t him. “You’re so whipped it’s unbelievable. I never imagined Jeon Wonwoo could be like this, so in love.”_

_Wonwoo tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Do you… Do you want to see a picture of him?” he asked quietly._

_Did Wen Junhui want to see a picture of the man who had stolen his first love’s affection?_

_“Of course!” Regardless of his personal feelings, he needed to play the part of a supportive best friend. Especially since he had helped Wonwoo out of his funk._

_“I have a picture of us as my lock screen.” He explained as Junhui leaned closer to get a better look. Wonwoo turned his phone so the screen faced Junhui._

_…_

_…_

_Jun’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Why was Wonwoo showing him a picture of himself? Perhaps it had been a mistake or Mingyu had changed the picture without his knowing. He looked up at the younger to try and gauge the truth but Wonwoo was looking everywhere but at him._

_“He’s cute, isn’t he?”_

_Yes, Wonwoo certainly was cute. Junhui wasn’t about to debate that. But where was this Mingyu he had heard so much about these past months._

_“He’s… something.” Jun didn’t know what else to say. Had this all been some kind of prank to get them off his back? But…. But the change in Wonwoo had been so real._

_“I’m sorry, I’m being insensitive.”_

_Jun looked up from the phone. “Why do you say that?”_

_“Huh?” Wonwoo blinked._

**_He hadn’t meant to say that out loud_ ** _, Junhui concluded. Now he needed to know what was going on inside his mind._

_“Erm… it’s just… er… I’m rubbing my boyfriend in your face and…”_

**_He’s still sticking to this boyfriend story, but why would he think that rubbing him in my face would upset me?_ **

_“And” He needed Wonwoo to continue. If it was what he thought it was…_

_“And… it’s unfair to you because…” His shoulders slumped as he struggled to speak but Junhui didn’t need him to. For a moment, he had thought his ability to read Wonwoo was broken but it was perfect._

_“How long?”_

_“Jun,” he whined. Wonwoo didn’t want to continue. It wasn’t a conversation Jun particularly wanted to have either but they needed to._

_“How long, Wonwoo?”_

_“Since the kiss.” **That long ago.** “When I looked into your eyes on the ride back, even though you said it was fine your smile didn’t reach your eyes, they were sad and that’s when I realised. That you were disappointed in yourself for not stopping me sooner. You were scared about… being found out.”_

_Jun nodded as he took it all in. His mind was reeling from information overload. “I see.” Was all he managed to force out._

**_He didn’t invent Mingyu to get us off his back, he invented him to get me off his back. So that’s why he stuck up for me whenever Kwon got nosey, he knew that it was him I’d had a crush on all these years, and he disliked it that much that he made someone up so I’d think he was unavailable._ **

_“Jun, are you mad at me? Please don’t be mad at me.”_

_“How could I be mad at you? You haven’t done anything wrong. These are my feelings, if anything I’m just upset with myself for ruining our friendship.” Because there was no way Wonwoo would want to continue being his friend._

_The sudden grip Wonwoo had on his hand took him by surprise. “Don’t say that. You haven’t ruined our friendship. Please Jun, don’t stop talking to me. I need you. You’re one of the few good things in my life, please.”_

_Wonwoo sounded so vulnerable. It was the most vulnerable Jun had seen him in a while and it brought back unpleasant flashbacks of when Wonwoo had been so distraught he’d refused to leave his room, to eat or bathe. If ending their friendship was going to send Wonwoo back there, then Jun would make sure that they stayed friends for the rest of their lives._

_“I won’t leave you, Wonwoo. I promise.”_

“That night I thought back on everything and realised that it was more than just Wonwoo pretending he had a boyfriend. I mean, I’d seen him have whole phone conversations with this guy that I now knew didn’t exist. I concluded that Mingyu must have been some kind of coping mechanism and it was working, Wonwoo had been happier. But then I thought, ‘well... who’s been living with him?’ because when I’d gone over to his house there’d been dishes in the sink for two people and shoes I didn’t recognise by the door. I wondered for how long had Wonwoo been deluding himself. I remembered an incidence when we went on holiday with two of our other friends; when we were in the sauna, Wonwoo had been whispering and when I asked him why, he said it was because it was crowded but we were the only two people in there. That was in November. I just… I just felt like such a bad friend ‘cause I hadn’t realised how much Wonwoo had been suffering.”

“If you knew that he was psychologically damaged then why did you allow him to go on that trip instead of getting him some help?”

“I don’t know,” Jun cried. “I thought some time by himself would do him some good. I didn’t put everything together at once, by the time I’d realised just how bad it was it was too late.” Jun looked up at his best friend whose eyes were also glistening with tears before saying, “I’m so sorry, Wonwoo.”

The latter was shaking his head, telling him not to apologise.

“For seven years, you were by his side and you didn’t even realise that he was a murderer, never had a little inkling. You see,” he leaned on the edge of the witness stand, “I think that you let your personal feelings get in the way and only went to the police because you were worried your little love was going to kill himself.”

 _What the fuck?!_ Junhui was disgusted by what the prosecutor was implying. Did he seriously think that Jun would let, as he mentioned, fourteen people die just because of his feelings for the younger, especially with some of them being his friends. Just like he suspected they would, the prosecutors were trying to play on the homophobic nature of society. It disgusted him.

“Objection! Badgering.”

“Sustained. You’ve been warned Mr Song.”

“I apologise.” He bowed towards Jun with no sincerity in it at all. The prosecutor should count himself lucky that they were in a court of the law or Jun may not have restrained himself. “No further questions your honour.” 

 

 

 

“Please introduce yourself for the members of the jury.”

The raven head cleared his throat, tucked his hair behind his ear before leaning closer to the mic. “I’m Senior Inspector Yoon Jeonghan.”

“And for how long have you been working on the case, Inspector?” Sooyoung asked.

“This case was handed to me four years ago.”

“You’re quite young for a Senior Inspector.”

“Well, I’m very good at what I do.” He answered. If the prosecutor was trying to unnerve him by questioning his age, she was going to have try something better. Yoon Jeonghan had dealt with this since joining the force. As if the fact that they were sat in that court wasn’t testament enough. He had done his job and caught the Tooth Fairy.

“Could you outline the events that lead to the capture of Jeon Wonwoo?” Jeonghan had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He was a seasoned professional, he didn’t need to be told how to give his testimony.

“A couple hours prior to the arrest of Jeon Wonwoo, I had been called to the IT department who had been working on evidence recovered from the most recent homicide which we believed had been deliberately destroyed. The suspect-”

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

Yoon glared at her for interrupting. “ **The suspect** , however, hadn’t done as good of a job as they thought as we were able to insert the hard drive into another computer and recover the data. It turned out that the webcam on the victim’s laptop had been on during the murder.”

The video was played for the jury. As expected, looks of horror and repulsion were on everyone’s faces as they watched the events that ended with Chwe Hansol’s teeth being pulled from his mouth. Whilst the brutality of the Tooth Fairy was not a secret from the public, it was a whole other thing to actually witness it. Many in the audience turned away.

“This evidence, whilst at first was confusing, linked to an ongoing theory that I had recently formulated. Upon exiting the room, Assistant Inspector Boo and I were approached by a distressed Wen Junhui. He told us that he was scared for Wonwoo’s safety, the latter had gone on a trip over the weekend and hadn’t returned yet and wasn’t answering any phone calls. Then Mr Wen mentioned a name, ‘Mingyu’, and as you saw from the content of the video, that was a cause for concern. With Mr Wen, Inspector Boo and I made our way to Chuncheon, the journey took a little over an hour. When we arrived at the port we immediately started asking about Wonwoo’s whereabouts, an elderly man pointed us in the direction of the Hanok and Junhui took off in that direction, arriving there before us.”

“And what was the scene like when you arrived?”

“The door was thrown wide open so I could see the state of the small space immediately. It was difficult to make out the colour of the floor because it was covered in blood. There was a chair in the middle of the room and I could see something that looked like nails from where I was standing. There were footprints in the blood, Junhui’s footprints, so I called out to him. He told me to call an ambulance and tell them the victim had a stab wound to the neck.”

“As a police officer, is it not your job to administer first aid when possible?”

“Yes, which is why I took off my shoes and made my way to the bathroom whilst disturbing as little evidence as possible. Inspector Boo used his smartphone to take pictures whilst we waited for forensics.”

“What was Jeon Wonwoo like when you got to the bathroom?”

“He was docile. His eyes were blank. Empty. He just stared at the opposite end of the bath. He didn’t even register my presence and I don’t think he was aware that Junhui had his hands to his neck either. It was like looking at an empty shell.”

“You said, Inspector Yoon, that the video provided evidence for a theory you had constructed, could you disclose this theory please?”

_The moment the elevator doors opened, Yoon Jeonghan walked out with purpose. It had been two days since the body of Chwe Hansol had been found and Jeonghan wanted answers. Perhaps it was because he felt like he could have done something to prevent his death why he was acting so rashly. He knew that there was no evidence linking Jeon Wonwoo to the murder of Hansol but the fact that the two knew each other was undeniable._

_He knocked on the door. Seungkwan sent him a wary look. He knew the younger thought he was acting too quickly. He hoped his gut feeling was correct so Seungkwan’s trust in him wouldn’t be effected._

_The door opened._

_“What do you want?”_

_The hostility in the voice caught him off guard._

_This was Jeon Wonwoo… but never like he’d heard him before. Something was off._

_“Erm…” Shit! He didn’t know how to react, but he needed to say something. “Wonwoo needs to come in for questioning?” he voiced his own thoughts, only realising belated that it had ended up sounding more like a question than the demand that it should be. Furthermore, he hadn’t addressed it to Wonwoo either. He probably sounded like an idiot. Speaking about him in third person like he wasn't stood right there._

_The pale boy raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the doorframe. Smugness was pouring out of him and turning Jeonghan’s insides red._

_“And why is that?”_

_Why is that?_

_WHY IS THAT???_

_Shouldn’t he be showing some concern that a known associate of his was dead, whatever their relationship was. On top of that, he was using informal speech and it was really starting to get under the senior inspector’s skin. He didn’t like being talked down to._

_He breathed. Getting angry right now was not going to help anything, he needed to explain everything clearly so there was no confusion. “Chwe Hansol was found dead two days ago, and-”_

_“Yeah, I’m still not getting what this has to do with Wonwoo.” He interrupted._

_Wait…_

_Did he just refer to himself in third person?_

_Nevertheless, he was seriously trying to deny any link he had with Hansol. Jeonghan was so confused. He didn’t know what was going on at that moment. What the fuck had happened to Jeon Wonwoo?_

_“You don’t-” He choked out a laugh of disbelief. “We saw-”_

_‘We saw you leave his apartment’ was what Jeonghan had wanted to say but he was once again cut off by the other._

_“Do you have any evidence linking Wonwoo to the Hansol murder?”_

_He seethed. Anger was quickly boiling in his stomach and was threatening to spew itself all over the businessman. A weight on his shoulder, which he recognised as Seungkwan’s hand, brought him back to reality. He couldn’t lose his cool or he risked losing his job. Especially since this was an unofficial visit._

_“No.” he answered begrudgingly._

_“Then you have no business being here. Wonwoo is not a witness nor is he a suspect as you have no evidence. You are only here on your own speculations. This is harassment. Can’t you see that Wonwoo has suffered, why do you keep dragging him into shit he isn’t involved with? If you bother us again, I will not hesitate to file a complaint against your ass. Hansol had nothing to do with Wonwoo so leave him alone. Leave us alone!”_

_The door slammed in their faces._

_Jeonghan blinked before turning to his assistant. The latter shared an equally as confused expression. Before Jeonghan truly had a chance to realise how pissed he was, silver chrome doors were shutting in front of him._

_“Sir…” Seungkwan spoke into the silence of the lift. “It’s not just me, that was weird, right?”_

_“Very.”_

“His way of talking, his actions, demeanour and body language, it was all different. Not to mention the fact that he had referred to himself in third person and said ‘leave **us** alone’. By that point in time, Jeon Wonwoo had definitely had a psychological break down.”

“Would you say that the Mingyu personality was fairly recent then, perhaps an effect of killing his close friends, rather than a long-standing personality like the defence is trying to argue?”

“I can’t say, I’m not a psychologist.” Jeonghan answered curtly.

Choi Sooyoung glowered. She clearly wasn’t getting the response she wanted from the detective. “No further questions your honour.”

The man nodded before turning to Wonwoo and his lawyer who shook his head. “I have no questions your honour.” The judge nodded again before stating, “I understand that Senior Inspector Yoon would like to make a statement.”

“Yes, your honour.” Jeonghan cleared his throat again. He looked up. There was fire burning in his eyes and they locked onto every member of the jury in turn. “Many of you know me, I have not made my search and quest for the Tooth Fairy a secret. Myself and my team have worked very hard these past four years to capture him and I’m telling you sincerely… the man you see before you... is not him.”

Noises of shock sounded through the courtroom as everyone registered what had just been said. What was going on? Was this not the man the Inspector had cautioned and arrested with his own two hands? The noise continued until the judge had to call for order in the court.

Jeonghan paused as he allowed what he’d said to sink in. He had expected that reaction and his gaze remained unflinching, even as some people called him a disgrace.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” he continued, “I have seen and spoken to Jeon Wonwoo. I have also seen and spoken to Mingyu and they are not the same person. I honestly do not believe that Wonwoo is capable of the violence displayed by the Tooth Fairy. My mission was to catch the Tooth Fairy and I failed, for that, I apologise.”

Noise exploded in the courtroom once again as Jeonghan left the stand. The judge called for a recess. 

 

 

 

“When was the first time you met Mingyu, Wonwoo?”

Wonwoo chewed nervously on his bottom lip, a metallic taste filling his mouth as he broke the skin. His eyes, which were sunken in black holes, darted around the courtroom and his cheek bones jutted out against his pale skin. He sawm in the khaki coloured overall. The cold metal tight against his wrists. When he’d told Jun that morning that he wasn’t nervous, it had been one of the biggest lies of his life. Of course, he was nervous. The death penalty was a very possible outcome and whilst there was evidence that supported Wonwoo, he would be foolish to ignore the abhorrence Korean society had towards mental illness. It was a taboo. To be kept locked away within a closet, but for the sake of his life he was going to have to bare it all to an unsympathetic public. It wasn’t going to be easy.

“Erm…” It was deathly silent. This was the first time many people in that room would hear Wonwoo speak. “It was on September 10th. I’d just come back from lunch with Junhui and Soonyoung, a friend and colleague of ours, was waiting for us. He was Joshua’s assistant and told me that he had been looking for me, so I went to his office on the top floor which was deserted. Mingyu was already there, and Joshua already fatally wounded. I was frozen with fear, it was like he had some kind of control over me. It was only once he’d poured the acid over Joshua that I was able to move.”

“And what did you do then?”

“I ran.” As much as that fact hurt Wonwoo, it was the truth. His friend had been dying and he’d been a coward. “I ran into Soonyoung in the lift and he called the police because I was preoccupied throwing up.”

“It was almost two months until you saw him next, is that correct?”

Wonwoo swallowed, a wave of nausea washing through him as images of Woozi flashed in his mind. He’d become somewhat desensitised to the Tooth Fairy’s victims’ appearances, they’d been with him every step of the way so he never really noticed the wounds nowadays, but with the knowledge that they’d been inflicted by him, it brought new pain along with it. “That is correct.”

“I felt sick and went outside to get some fresh air and he was there, with Jihoon in his arms. He was alive, but barely. He… he said that Jihoon was too loud and that’s why he removed his vocal cords. He didn’t have the correct tools with him and dropped Jihoon on me as he went to search for them. He came back and…”- he took a breath- “…pulled out Jihoon’s teeth, then he died in my arms as Mingyu walked away.” Wonwoo could feel the tears pricking at his eyes but he couldn’t let them shed, there were people in there who were hurting far more than he was.  

“What was Mingyu like?”

 _Huh?_ His eyebrows furrowed. The question had thrown him off guard. “W-What? Erm… he was a psychopath.”

“All the time?” Slowly, his eyes opened and fell on his lawyer, Park Jungsoo. The man was one of the best in Seoul. Paid for by Jason Hong. Wonwoo wondered how the rest of the Hong family had reacted to Jason hiring someone to defend his cousin’s killer. The lawyer was telling him to tell the truth, so tell the truth he shall.

Wonwoo shook his head slowly. “No, not all the time. He was very nice to me, always concerned about my well-being: was I eating enough, was I working too hard? He took care of me. Sometimes he would say something and I’d be reminded about the monster that he truly was.”

“What happened during that trip, Wonwoo? The one that caused that scar around your neck?”

The pink line started to throb again as Wonwoo was reminded of its presence. Honestly, Wonwoo didn’t want to think about that trip. As pleasantly as it had started, the end had been straight out of horror movie. And with the fact that… the fact it had all been in his head. That some of his most pleasant memories were false…

Wonwoo swallowed. There was a thick lump in his throat. “Most of the trip was fine, good. I’d forgotten mostly about everything that had been going on. Everything was fine until Monday. The car wouldn’t start and no one in the village could help us, Mingyu told me that help couldn’t arrive until the next day. I was upset because I didn’t want to put Junhui in a difficult position but there was nothing I could do.”

“Then what happened?”

“We ate, and after a couple minutes I felt very drowsy so I went to sleep. I later realised I’d been drugged. When I woke up, it was dark so I asked Mingyu what had happened to the mechanic and he told me there was no mechanic, I was never leaving. Then he hit me over the head and I blacked out again.” The tremble in his voice towards the end did not go unnoticed by anyone. `

He took a deep breath.

“When I next woke up again, I was tied to a chair. That was when Mingyu revealed that he’d killed Seungcheol and that I was to be his last. I don’t remember when, but I fell asleep again and woke up early on Wednesday. He cut me.” A single tear fell down his cheek. “Drew pictures on me as he spoke about our future.” Because Wonwoo was looking down, he missed the shocked looks on the jury’s faces as they were shown pictures of the crudely drawn scars that would be there forever on Wonwoo’s chest. “He pulled out some of the nails on my fingers and toes and I was woken up the next day by him carving wings into my back, so we could match.”

“Would you… would you care to show us?” Jungsoo’s voice was soft and soothing so it almost didn’t register in Wonwoo’s mind just how vulnerable doing so would make him.

He nodded. Undoing the velcro on his overalls, he pulled it down as much as he could, the fabric resting in the crevice of his elbows, before turning around and showing his pale back to the court. Across the top of his shoulder blades were wobbly lines that looped in a way that would resemble feathers on an angel’s wings. The wings were upside down. The marks were still red and raised, ruining the previously smooth expanse of Wonwoo’s back. “He was the Tooth Fairy so he gave me wings to match.”

“Thank you, Wonwoo.” Jungsoo said as Wonwoo fixed his clothes and sat back down. “You may continue.”

“I noticed that when I’d wake up after blacking out, my restraints would be tied differently. I suspected that he was undoing them whilst I slept. Perhaps he felt some guilt over what he was doing to me.” Wonwoo laughed softly at himself. Even to this day he was deluding himself that the younger had actually cared about him. “I pretended to sleep and waited for him to loosen them and fall asleep. I managed to get outside before he stopped me. I was shoeless, but so close. So, _so,_ close. I ran for it, but he caught me and dragged me into the house. He was mad. Angry. I’d never seen him like that before.” He paused to wipe his face which was covered in tears and snot. “He beat me until I blacked out and when I woke up I was in the bathtub.”

“He held the knife to my neck.”

A shiver ran down Wonwoo’s spine as he felt the cool tip on his neck.

“And wrapped my hands around it.”

His own hands, which were clenched in his lap, were warm.

“Then we pressed it in.”

Wonwoo struggled to breathe as it felt like his neck was on fire. The wound was spreading a scorching heat of pain through his body.

“Pressed what in, Wonwoo?”

“The knife,” he sobbed.

The room was quiet except from the business man’s quiet whimpers.

“What happened next Wonwoo?”

He looked up with a sniffle, using the back of his hand to wipe the snot which hadn’t been drawn back up. “And when I opened my eyes, Junhui was there. He was saying something, I couldn’t hear him properly. Everything was still fuzzy, like static. He kept looking at my neck, and I gathered that the problem was there, but my body was numb. I couldn’t feel anything. Then I remembered what’d happened and became worried for Mingyu’s safety. The last thing I saw was him… slitting his throat. I became panicked. Frightened. It caused Jun to snap at me. He said… he said…”

“What did he say, Wonwoo?” Park Jungsoo prodded.

Wonwoo blinked furiously to shake the tears from his eyes. How pathetic he must be to be crying over someone who wasn’t real. Someone who brought him nothing but trouble regardless of whether he was real or not.

“He said that Mingyu wasn’t real.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“Empty. That’s the only way I can think of describing it.”

“Thank you Wonwoo, you did well. No further questions your honour.”

 

 

Song Kyungil shuffled the papers on the table before fixing the lapels on his suit jacket. “That was interesting story, Wonwoo, but of course we know the truth: that faced with the reality that you were going to get caught for your crimes, you started to behave in a way that you knew would make excuse for your actions.”

 _What?_ Wonwoo’s eyes widened at the accusation. Someone really thought he’d go through all that trouble of faking a mental illness, even going so far as to mutilate his own body, just to end up getting caught in the end. That didn’t make sense!

“Objection! There’s no evidence to support that.”

The judge held a hand up to silence Jungsoo. He was going to let the prosecutor continue.

“Part of the reason why it took the police so long to find the Tooth Fairy was that there was no evidence left behind, ever. The CCTV had always been tampered with.” Kyungil clicked a button in the remote to display a picture on the screen. “Mr Jeon, could you tell me what that is?”

Wonwoo’s eyes shifted from the prosecutor to the screen, his eyebrows rising slightly with recollection. “T-That’s my 9th grade science fair trophy.”

“What did you win it for?”

“I-I built a robot.”

“So, you must be good with computers?”

“Yes.” He answered, before the delayed realisation of what exactly the prosecutor was implying. “But that doesn’t mean  **I** tampered with the CCTV. I’m not a murderer! I played no part in them.”

“But in your testimony, you admitted to knowingly harbouring the fictitious Mingyu even though you knew he was the Tooth Fairy, at the very least that makes you an accomplice, does it not?”

“Yes, but I only did it to save my friends!”

Kyungil raised an eyebrow with a scoff. “And how did that work out? Five of them are dead.”

Wonwoo felt like he’d been shot. _The asshole is right. Nothing good came from me letting Mingyu stay with me. People still died. My friends still died, the ones who are alive may never be the same again. All of this… it was for nothing._

Wonwoo shut down. His eyes glassed over and his breathing became slow. Colours and sounds blurred together, it was like he was seeing everything though a ball of water.

He doesn’t recall what happened for the rest of the trial until he was given a verdict.

 

 

 

“Schizophrenia. Some co-morbidity with Dissociative Identity Disorder.”

“Fancy words.” Song Kyungil commented, drumming his fingers on the edge of the table he was currently sat behind. “Would you care to explain it further.”

“Of course,” Dr Oh Sehun pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His long and thin fingertips met in his crossed lap and his face remained stoic. “Put simply, schizophrenia is a psychosis characterised by a profound disruption of cognition -thinking processes- and emotion. It can manifest in different ways, it’s different for every person but generally, to be diagnosed with schizophrenia the individual would have to have displayed symptoms for an extended period of time.”

“And Jeon Wonwoo has done this?”

_Wonwoo looked around nervously at the room he’d just been lead into. It appeared to be an office, in fact, Wonwoo knew it was an office; of a psychiatrist to be exact. (He had seen the sign as he’d been lead in.) The room was chicly and lightly furnished, black and white was the theme. A mostly clear black desk was home to the name plate that read ‘Dr Oh Sehun’. Wonwoo could see all his fancy qualifications along the wall, framed proudly, but no personal pictures. Oh Sehun must be someone who’d dedicated his life to his work. Greying but with no wrinkles to show just how hard it had been. Wonwoo estimated him to be in his late-forties, well-groomed and slim._

_He was sat, handcuffed, to a long black leather seat, the type you see in movies where the patient is asked to close their eyes and think back to whatever traumatic event had landed them there._

**_Well…_ ** _Wonwoo thought, **they were gonna have to be more specific.**_

_A click was heard as the door was pushed open. The officer stood beside Wonwoo bowed in greeting as the psychiatrist entered. As the door was behind Wonwoo, he couldn’t see him yet._

_“You may leave us?” His voice was deep but smooth. Slightly soothing, as you’d expect a psychiatrist to have._

_“Erm…” the officer stammered. “Are you sure? I’m here for your protection, this is a dangero-”_

_“He’s handcuffed to the chair, is that not enough? And if anything goes wrong, you’ll be on the other side of the door, won’t you?”_

_The officer nodded._

_“Then please,” the psychiatrist tilted his head towards the door and the officer got the message as the next sound Wonwoo heard was the click of the door. Oh Sehun cleared his throat before he walked over to Wonwoo and sat in the seat opposite him._

_Wonwoo had been right about two things: Dr Oh Sehun was well-groomed and slim. The very attractive psychiatrist regarded him with blank eyes. It made Wonwoo very uncomfortable. He didn’t know what the other was thinking. Was he judging him? Or was he frightened? (Wonwoo doubted it considering his earlier actions.)_

_“There’s no reason to be uncomfortable, Wonwoo. Relax. I’m not here to judge you.”_

**_That’s kind of your job description_ ** _, Wonwoo thought but found his body relaxing all the same._

_“I’m not here to learn about the actions of the Tooth Fairy, Wonwoo, I want to learn about you.”_

_“Me?”_

_“Yes, you.”_

_“What could you possibly want to learn about me?” Wonwoo dismissed. “I killed people without realising it, now I know it was me and I’m going to jail for the rest of my life.”_

_“It’s not as simple as that.”_

_“Oh, it’s not? Why is that doctor?”_

_“Because the entire time we’ve been speaking you’ve been looking behind me.” Wonwoo’s breath hitched. “What’ve you been looking at Wonwoo?”_

_His eyes flickered from Sehun to Joshua._

**_What should I do?_ ** _He panicked._

**_“You can tell him.” Seungcheol urged._ **

_“Is he with us, Wonwoo?”_

_“Who?” his voice was small, child-like._

_“Mingyu.”_

_He shook his head. “Mingyu is dead.” He choked as the pink scar around his neck started to burn._

_“Then who?”_

_“It’s Joshua and Seungcheol and Hansol…” The list went on. All 20 of the victims were crammed into the spacious room. “They never leave me, never will.”_

 

The psychiatrist nodded once. “Yes. He has shown hallucinations and deluded behaviour to a severe degree, both are positive symptoms, as well as grossly disorganised behaviour too and it has persisted for more than a month. My conclusion is that the psychopathic personality, Mingyu, manifested after the murder of his childhood best friend, Xu Minghao, perpetrated by the defendant during an argument. The personality remained buried within his subconscious, it would commit a murder and then disappear. Mingyu has his own set of actions, mannerisms and memories which are not accessible by Mr Jeon. Mingyu only became known to Mr Jeon during the murder of Joshua Hong, most likely because he was a close friend. From then onwards, Mr Jeon hallucinated encounters with Mingyu, humanised him as a way to cope with the truth.”

“The truth being that it was him, Jeon Wonwoo, who had so brutally murdered those men.”

Sehun nodded again. “However, it is my belief that Mr Jeon had no control when he switched to Mingyu. He may have been consciously aware of what was happening but it would have been like being trapped in a glass box, he had no control over Mingyu’s actions.”

“Is that your opinion?” Kyungil challenged.

Dr Oh Sehun moved his head so his brown hair fell out of his eyes which he locked on the prosecutor. “My _professional_ opinion, yes.”

“No further questions, your honour.” Kyungil concluded before walking back to his seat, passing Jungsoo on the way as he stood up to question the psychiatrist.

“Seeing as we’re on the topic of your ‘professional opinion’, then may I ask, do you believe that Jeon Wonwoo is a danger to society?”

“Objection!” Sooyoung stood up. “This question is of opinion, not fact.”

“But isn’t the point of medical testimony to give their professional opinion of facts.” Jungsoo countered.

The judge agreed in his favour.

“After having several sessions with him, I can conclude that Jeon Wonwoo is not a danger to society, Mingyu, however, is. Although it seems that the personality is gone, we cannot be sure, especially due to the defendant’s schizophrenia. The comorbidity makes a prognosis hard to determine. Jeon Wonwoo needs help, lots of it. But I hope that in the future, with the help he receives, he will be a functioning member of society.”

“Thank you, Mr Oh,” Jungsoo smiled kindly. “No further questions, your honour.” 

 

 

The prosecutors stood up to make their closing argument.

They addressed the jury, “It is clear to see that Jeon Wonwoo is guilty of these killings. The fact that there is a video clearly depicting him committing the act and the teeth that were found in his home is evidence enough. He is a danger to society and should not be allowed to wander the streets. Would you feel safe knowing that you, or your husband, or your son could be his next victim? Twenty lives have ended by his hands, he needs to be stopped. I trust that when you walk into that room, although it will be a difficult one, you will make the right decision. Thank you.”

It was Jungsoo’s turn. “The prosecution made the point that Jeon Wonwoo should not be allowed to wander the streets, and I agree. No person who has a mental illness as severe as Wonwoo’s should be wandering the streets when there is professional help available to them. Yes, twenty people have died by his hands, we are not debating that, but the fact is that he was not in control of those hands. Would you be able to sleep at night knowing that you sent an innocent man to his death when all he needed was help that is so readily available? Jeon Wonwoo is also a victim, of a psychosis that altered his perception of reality. Please keep this in mind when you reach your verdict. Thank you.” 

 

 

 

The jury reached a conclusion after six long hours.

Shocked gasps rang through the courtroom like a church bell.

Jungsoo’s hand on Wonwoo’s thigh gripped him as they shared a look.

Junhui’s face was wet as he tried to get to Wonwoo but was stopped by guards. The crowd had become frenzied and he was lost in it. 

Wonwoo was lifted up by two police officers, one on each side, whose hands remained on his elbows as they walked him out the court room. As soon as the wooden doors shut behind him, Wonwoo’s knees buckled from exhaustion. He allowed any façade he’d put on to fall from him as he bared his true emotions. The only thing still keeping him up were the hands of the officers.

He tried to look ahead but his vision was cloudy with tears.

His knees hit the floor painfully as he was thrown into a temporary holding cell, but he barely noticed the pain. Wonwoo curled into a ball where he fell, holding his knees to his chest.

 

He doesn’t know how long he was kept there. He stared at the floor, getting lost in the cracks of the concrete, until a high-pitched creaking woke him up. He looked to the door and found his lawyer waiting there to accompany him out of the courthouse.

Camera flashes blinded him the moment they stepped out the door, but he didn’t shy away. It may be the last chance he got to see so many people, even if they were vultures using their lenses and mics to scavenge any emotion they could for him. They would go home hungry. Wonwoo had no more emotions left to give. He cherished the feel of the cold wind on his face that bit into his skin. It only lasted the minute it took to get from the doors, through the crowd and to the police car, but he cherished it all the same. A content smile graced his lips.

Justice had been served. 

 

 

 

 

 

Wen Junhui thanked the shop keeper with a kind smile before picking up his purchase from the countertop and exiting the store. The light tinkle the small gold bell above the door made as he exited bringing a smile to his face.

 

Jun got out of the car, remembering to pick up the bouquet of blue verbena as he did so. His heart clenched slightly as he looked across the grassy plane. With a small shake of the head, he let go of the feeling. Today was about being positive. He entered the building and smiled at the reception who returned the greeting, Jun visited often so she didn’t need to ask who he was there to see.

After a quick security check, Jun was let in, the man immediately walking to a table in the corner of the room, by a bunch of bookshelves. He placed the flowers down, startling the man who was quietly reading.

“Hey, Wonwoo.”

“Hi, Jun.” The other smiled back, bookmarking his page before placing the book between them. “Your hair’s black now, it looks good.”

Junhui never failed to visit his best friend every week. Pledis Psychiatric Hospital was a high-class clinical facility. It was located in the countryside and was very secure. And expensive, but to Junhui it was worth it. Wonwoo’s recovery was worth every penny. 

“Are those for me?” The younger beamed, sniffing them before placing them back on the table. “The fuck Jun, is this a cheesy kdrama or some shit?” he teased, laughing along loudly with the other.

“How’ve you been?” Junhui asked once they’d calmed down.

“Good.” Wonwoo answered before his face lit up with remembrance. “Chan came last week. He brought pastries and danced for all the nurses, it was so cute.” Jun was happy that the youngest still found the time to visit even though he had just gotten a job as a choreographer under SM entertainment. Aside from Chan and Jun, Jason was Wonwoo’s only other regular visitor. He wished his family could come more, but the hospital was just too far and Wonwoo didn’t want them to make such a long journey regularly for him. Wonwoo may not have been that much of a social butterfly in the past but he anticipated every visit from anyone. The only times he was allowed out of his cell was whenever he had to attend therapy or had a visitor.  

“How’s Soonyoung?” He asked quietly, refusing to look up from the table.

“He’s doing well, I haven’t spoken to him in a while but from what I can see, he and Dokyeom are settling well in London.”

Wonwoo hummed acceptingly. He was glad to hear that. Once it had come out that Wonwoo was the Tooth Fairy, Soonyoung had cut off all communication with Wonwoo. It was understandable, and Wonwoo didn’t blame him at all. He just wished him the best with his life. He deserved it.

A peaceful calm descended over the two and Junhui spared a glance around the room. Like always, a guard was posted at every point of entry and Jun had to do his best to pretend that it didn’t piss him off. _Wonwoo isn’t dangerous, damn it!_

“Oh,” Wonwoo gasped, catching Jun’s attention (and the attention of the guards who tensed.) “You’ll never guess who came to visit me, yesterday.”

“Who?”

“Inspector Yoon.”

Jun gasped, his eyes widening with surprise. “Seriously?”

Wonwoo nodded.

“What did he want?” Jun crossed his arms, trying -and failing- to hide his disdain for the man.

Wonwoo chuckled. “Play nice Jun. I’m sure his surprise testimony helped get my verdict.”

 

_Not guilty by reason of insanity._

 

Somehow, the jury had been able to see that Wonwoo wasn’t lying when he said he had no control. They’d seen the humanity within him… just like he had with Mingyu.

“Fine.” He huffed. “What did he want?”

“To check on me.” Wonwoo replied. “He wanted to see how I was doing. Well, that’s what he said but I think he just wanted to check that he hadn’t made the wrong decision that day.”

“Well, how _are_ you doing?” Junhui had noticed, over the last two months of visits, that Wonwoo’s eyes didn’t look past him anymore. He wondered if the other had stopped seeing the victims everywhere but didn’t want to jinx it.

“Good. Excellent even,” he grinned. “I think I might be back to normal soon, soon being at least a year but, that’s better than no hope, right?”

Jun nodded. “So much better.”

“When I get better, we can finally move into an apartment together. We haven’t roomed together since uni.” The pair smiled at the fond memories of their time spent together all those years ago. It had been stressful. But they’d had each other, and still did. “There should be a studio downstairs so you can dance and a library nearby so I can read.”

“I’d love that.”

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

They looked up and sighed.

“I guess visiting time is over,” Wonwoo shrugged apologetically before holding his hands out to be cuffed. It was a routine he knew well.

The raven head smiled one last time at his best friend before he was led away, out of the visitor’s centre and across the court to the block where his cell was homed. The guard keyed in a code and walked Wonwoo to his door which was open and waiting for him. He stepped inside, and the metal door shut behind him, he put his hands through the slot, allowing the cuffs to be taken off.

He sighed, rubbing his wrists as he walked to his sink. The cold feeling of metal cutting off the blood to his hands was something he could never get used to.

_Just put a cold compress on it, it will ease the throbbing._

“You’re right.” Wonwoo smiled. _You’re always right._

“Jun dyed his hair, it’s black now.” He said, as he gathered tissue.

_Well, he’s too late to get couple hair with you. I did it first._

Wonwoo frowned. “It’s been four years, when are you going to get over your jealousy?”

The younger huffed, crossing his arms as he sat on the bed. “The moment he realises that you’re mine. _Forever._ ”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes, turning to the sink and twisting on the tap.

The water ran red. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol I put lots of clues and foreshadowing in this fic in various forms. songs. dialogue. water  
> Thank you for reading ^^
> 
> oh yeah, I should mention that there's a sequel in the works ;)
> 
> 9/3/19 SEQUEL ON MY PAGE or link in next chapter


	33. SEQUEL

Hi, this is just a notice to let readers know there is a sequel to this fic titled '[Tooth Fairy: The Sequel](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18044855)'  (I know its super imaginative) which can be found on my account or by clicking the title


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